a little and a lot

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Letting Go

Calling all bloggies:
I need your help!  

I have begun decluttering my house.  "Cozy" doesn't jive with "lots of stuff."  Therefore, the stuff and I are duking it out.

In the process, I have discovered something about myself: My extraordinary attachment to "Real Simple."  

At first I considered the unhealthy devotion was to all magazines.  No, this is not the case.  After glancing over the cover of past issues of "Runners World," I am sanely able to say, "Thank you, and goodbye."

But when could you ever absorb all of the information into your life such as the treasures on each page of "Real Simple?"  I am overcome with fear--what if I don't remember that unwaxed dental floss can double for kitchen twine??  What if I forget that lemon rinds are capable of cleaning the coffee rings in the bottom of your mugs??  How will I ever recall what body lotion or frozen pizza rose to the top of the road-tested ratings??  Or the prefect shade of green paint that I saw in an article and want to use in my dream-house kitchen?

At one point in my perfectionistic life, I tried clipping all articles that were relevant to my life, and I placed them in the largest 3-ring binder I could find.  This was a miserable failure.  Not only did I end up clipping the whole magazine, but when exactly did I plan to flip through that huge and awesome binder?  What would compel me to look for various uses for toothpicks?  The idea was scrapped.  

And so began the collection of the magazines.  No tossing.  Just placing them one by one in a cubby of a bookshelf.  I have subscribed to this magazine since it's conception in 2000.  This is no laughing matter.  

So what, dear friends, shall I do?  The most extreme and logical idea in my mind is to just let go.  Let them all go.  Right into the recycling bin.  There is wisdom and advice that I might need one day, but I'm sure it will come around again...right?  Another idea is to store them up high on a closet shelf, organized by month.  Every month, I can pull down past years' March issues and have a gander.  It will be like having 9 new Real Simple subscriptions!  However, that doesn't really solve my space issue.  Perhaps I could make a little money off of them and sell them in our upcoming spring yard sale for 25 cents each?  Or donate them to...somewhere that takes old magazines?

Help!  Lend me your thoughts!!

PS: The "Where's Waldo" of the picture above is the one lone July 2006 issue of "Living."  It's just that dang strawberry & blueberry shortcake recipe that has me holding onto hope that I will make it one day...Or that I will weave my own red, white, and blue checkered tablecloth out of cotton I grew in my own backyard and dyed with colors pressed from vegetables from my garden...Or create my own party-going friends out of wheat and butter...just like Martha.

9 comments:

Kristin said...

I say donate them. I'm sure there are doctor's offices/clinics around Memphis or even assisted living places that take donated magazines. In the small town I come from, the nursing home takes donated magazines. Then, maybe it will be easier to let them go since you know someone else will have the pleasure of enjoying the magazines.

Kristin said...

Oh, I just saw the book you are reading! That book is my favorite book I ever read for assigned school reading. There is a movie if you ever want to watch it.

Anonymous said...

got a scanner? I scan things from magazines I simply cannot part with (and I LOVE Real Simple, btw)... a quick scan and save in folders "recipies-chicken", "kitchen tips", etc. Then it's always just a click away on the ole computer. It's not too much work if you just do it month to month... now, about your stash... might take some more time up front obviously. Hope that helps...

Jane said...

I have no good advice about this one. I have a year's worth of writing magazines I can't get myself to throw away...however, for the moment, there is room for them in their little elephant magazine holder...

But that is not what I meant to say. I just loving reading your blogs. They make me feel creative and exciting - when I am neither. :)

Martha said...

I have the same problem. I just can't make myself get rid of Real Simple. What is it about that magazine that we can't part with something from 2004? I mean, honestly, it's 5 years later, don't you think something better has already come out by now anyway?

...I'm right there with you, I have piles at my parents, in storage, and at our apartment...

ashley said...

oh no. i literally just finished going through 3 years of real simples and southern livings and chopping all the recipes, decorating tips, and "pearls of a successful woman tidbits" and putting them in an envelope so i could creat the greatest 3 ring binder ever... and you tell me it doesn't work. well, let me know what you decide!!

Larissa Smith said...

Okay, having moved several times and packed my family's belongings into mere suitcases, I feel experienced enough to tell you that you should chunk those suckers. Whatever benefit they are giving your life is canceled out by the stress of trying to convince yourself they will be useful again.

Now, that said, it is very hard to throw out something in that quantity. So, if you can't do that just yet, here's what you do: Box them up, and I mean every last one. Tape that box, and good. Write in big black numbers the date 6 months from now (or 3, if you think you can) and stow it somewhere. WHEN THAT DATE ARRIVES, if you have not touched the tape on that box, throw it out. Don't figure out where to donate it, just get it out. Don't try to sell them, you'll just grab some back. Recycle if you can. Whatever you do, DON'T OPEN IT!!!

My guess is that you wouldn't know where to find those nuggets of goodness if you wanted to, so don't stress it. You'll find the perfect color of paint, at Sherwin Williams. You'll google how to clean the coffee rings at the bottom of the cup and probably end up at the Real Simple website. Yes, they are great magazines, but not the end-all of information. You will be fine.

Blessed said...

OK, don't chunk YET! I would LOVE them if that ends up being your option. Well, maybe not all 200 of them, but a few? I love that magazine, and do not subscribe.

I subscribe to Paula Deen and Southern Living, so I have tons of those. If you are at all a fan of those, I'd love a trade. I I have tons of People, SL, PD, and other random home/fashion magazines.

Last year, I did try to sell them at my yardsale for $.25 a piece, but I only sold 2!!!! I guess if someone random who loved that magazine came to your yard sale it would be worth it?

I do know that doctors offices and even homeless shelters take old magazines.

Ashley @ pure and lovely said...

make a binder and store the pages you want to keep. recycle the rest. I (WAS:SOB) the same way with Domino. Not anymore. Not anymore.


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