I have stuff. A lot of stuff.

Too much stuff. And I'm sick of it.

I'm pretty sure I inherited my packrat tendencies from my Grandma...but in any case, the amount of crap I have is overwhelming.

When did I know it was really bad? A few months ago my poor boyfriend was over at my house, and while we were watching TV, he looks around, looks at me, and goes, 'You have a lot of stuff... Just so you know, you're not bringin all this if we ever live together... Like that boom box...THAT AIN'T COMIN.'

boombox
A boombox, quite like this one, sits unused on my dresser. (Amazon)
loading...

Yeah. I have a boom box. Complete with cassette deck. I don't even think it still works. I've easily had it since 1999, and yet it's still in my room, taking up more space than I have to give.

I have a bookcase with the bottom shelf completely dedicated to a collection of VHS tapes.

I haven't had a VCR in probably 3 years.

I have notebooks from freshman year college classes. 9 years ago. (Ouch.) 'Just in case I need them someday.'

I haven't opened them since the day those classes ended.

I save those extra buttons you get from shirts and sweaters.

I have stacks of magazines I haven't read yet, but 'will get to.'

I have enough clothing items that I could probably go the better part of a year without wearing the same thing twice, but I wear the same things over and over.

I have earrings that someone gave to me when I was a kid. I'm going to venture a guess and say it was 1989. You can imagine how fabulously out-of-style they are. (Though I DID use a pair of them at last year's '80s party.)

Somewhere under stacks of papers and who knows what other stuff on my desk is my computer. My desktop computer. Purchased in 2003. I'm sure if I cleared out all of the photos and documents taking up all of it's memory, it would work like a dream. Actually...I should do that later. Along with the laundry I've been trying to finish since 2002.

I feel bad just throwing it away. It's useable stuff. Some of it just needs to be fixed, but it's all good stuff. I could sell it! In fact, I have a full box of stuff that I could easily sell at a yard sale.

Except I am far to lazy to go around and hang up signs advertising a yard sale...and the stuff is too random (like the never used football helmet-shaped cookie cutter) to put on eBay.

Sigh.

I am still torn between wanting to just throw out everything I don't need and knowing someone else could probably possibly use it.

Mama C. says just throw it out. Duzzy begs me to just throw it out.

But...but...it's EARTH DAY! Shouldn't I RECYCLE or something??

So. Spring cleaning tips from a hoarder: Bite the bullet. Sometimes you are going to need things you just threw away...but usually, you make do just fine without it.

Marlboro's bulk pick up in my neighborhood is next Monday. Maybe a fellow hoarder will come by my street with a pick-up truck...it'll be like hitting the motherload!

Just look for my boom box on the curb.

What are your spring cleaning tips? Share them in the comment section below!

More From 94.3 The Point