Why did I have 79 envelopes, in a range of greeting-card sizes, that didn't match any of my to-be-sent greeting cards? And why did I have 67 postcards that were never going to be mailed to anyone?
The envelopes were left over from various packages of greeting cards — and I guess I thought they were still perfectly good. Useless to me — but perfectly good.
The postcards came home from various trips, when I bought more than I mailed out. (I used to mail many postcards to my mom, who loved getting them — and to other friends and family members.) But, of course, they just sat around once I got home.
Oh, they were beautifully organized, each collection in its own box inside the cabinet right next to my desk. But organized clutter is still clutter. When I found myself running short of space in the cabinet drawers, I looked at those postcards and those envelopes, and decided they needed to leave.
The postcards found two new homes, via Freecycle, within 15 minutes. I've got an offer out to someone else about the envelopes.
And I have an uncluttered space.
I thought you were going to say you mailed them from the HMB post office to try and keep the USPS alive!
ReplyDeleteThose postcards will become artifacts soon!
Jeri, that is maybe stupid question, but the thought came to my mind... As a professional organizer "with a mission" - when you give away something like that, aren't you afraid (or maybe have remorse already?) That it will be still a clutter, just in someone elses place?
ReplyDeleteEat-out'erka, it's not a stupid question at all; it's a very thoughtful one.
ReplyDeleteYes, there may be someone with hoarding tendencies in the group; given the percentage of the population we believe has hoarding issues, it seems likely.
But I choose to assume the people in the group are, for the most part, adults who are making informed choices for themselves. Because I've been Freecycling for many years in the same community, I even know some of my fellow Freecyclers and have been in their homes/offices - and they were lovely spaces.
Sometimes people even tell me why they want something: knitting supplies to someone starting a knitting class at a local school, to pick one recent example. And the things I give away are all useful (or decorative) things that could easily be used by someone - just not by the prior owner.
Krash, I'm guessing postcards are being bought now more as mementoes than as things to send through the mail. I still send postcards to my dad when I travel - he's not an email/online kind of guy - but my postcard consumption has certainly decreased over the years.
ReplyDeleteApparently the USPS is trying to keep solvent by sending more junk mail, according to a story I just read - but that's a topic for another day.
"...organized clutter is still clutter." Oh, so true! That's why it's so important to unclutter before buying organizing supplies. It's easy to convince yourself that if you just box everything up and label in neatly, it's fine to keep it all.
ReplyDelete