In a very weak moment, in fact , the weakest moment in my life, I agreed to help the Micro Manager with some spring cleaning.
Yesterday we bumbled into cleaning the main bedroom closets. There are two shelves above the rod where clothes hang. We found stuff to be very dusty so took it all down shook it outside, dusted the shelf ceiling and wall. As we cleaned things I looked over the contents of some boxes. I found two boxes containing items from my teaching career. There were certificates, programs, superintendent reports and principal reports. There were programs for all award ceremonies that I ever attended. Along with this, were my teaching certificates. There were those fancy certificates you get when you receive a degree. And oh ya...all of my school report cards! My Mom had saved my report cards and gave them to me. Now all of this stuff has to go except the certificates and report cards. I didn't say it's gone. It's back in the closet and who knows when it will actually be laid to rest.
The Micro Manager started on the clothes. All articles of clothing had to be taken out to shake off the dust.
This morning I was assigned shift on cleaning the clothes in the closet. Now the Micro Manager buys clothes very carefully, wears them carefully and looks after them meticulously. She also does not get rid of any clothes. You guessed it. This closet is more than full. Now I got to see a great range of styles. But when the pant suit with the bell bottoms came out, I was impressed! You've got to be old to know what pant suits are! So to say the least, there is a huge number of clothes, many of which should have been disposed of long ago.
We have lived in the same house since 1970. If you move you part with stuff rather than go to the effort of moving it. At this stage of life the Micro Manager is in panic mode as she knows that the big move may not be that far off.
If it was me, I would have little more than a suitcase of possessions. I am completely opposite of the Micro Manager.
So my weak moment has resulted in some interesting discoveries, some shocking realizations and some reflections on what we've been doing since 1970.
It sounds as if it all needs catalogueing and popping on E-Bay.
ReplyDeleteI've sold a lot of stuff on kijiji...holiday trailer, boat motor, canoe, two cars...
DeleteI know what you mean about getting rid of stuff when you move: I think at least half my wardrobe went to the Good Will when we moved here six years ago. Good for you for pitching in and helping. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou only have to watch what neighbors dispose of things to know that a move helps to pare things down.
DeleteFun to find some treasures
ReplyDeleteMany of the things of my stuff I had completely forgotten about.
DeleteI have moved enough times in my life that much stuff has been given away or tossed. My clothes closet while still full is missing tons of stuff I purchased over the years. YOu did remind me that I kept many of my kids school paper with the idea of creating a scrapbook....!!!
ReplyDeleteso you kept the most important stuff. I'm glad my Mom kept the report cards and gave them to me when i reached an age that I would keep them.
DeleteCleaning closets can reveal some interesting, forgotten things. I'd get a kick out of that pant suit. I usually throw my old clothes out.
ReplyDeleteOld stuff that's not used should be disposed of in some way.
DeleteI cleaned out my closet packing winter clothes up and bringing spring and summer clothes out. I to need to get rid of some clothes. My problem is different size clothes that I keep just in case I lose weight or gain weight. Oh well it is fun to find boxes of treasures though and going down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteOh I don't advocate getting rid of everything. I would have very little but the rest of you can keep what you want.
Deleteoh, i bet there is a vintage clothing shop just salivating over what your wife has in her closet!!!
ReplyDeleteMaybe a costume shop! Don't tell her I said this.
DeleteHahaha...what a fun and funny post! I am also the opposite of the 'Micro Manager'. I am a minimalist, and get rid of stuff regularly. Spring cleaning for me also includes giving away whatever is not needed or necessary.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like you manage things well.
DeleteMy wife always ropes me into helping her clean, and then she opens a box and vanishes down memory lane leaving me to do the work.
ReplyDeleteThat's exactly what has happened here.
DeleteOh my I am laughing. Bell bottoms pant suites. Well a couple of years ago the flares in jeans were in Micro Man and now look at the silly jeans ripped at the knees and worn fashionable. Now maybe your wife will buy them. I have even see the Mothers on streets wearing them and the Fathers.and Grandmothers. Torn jeans Look.
ReplyDeleteMy one Grandson wanted a pair jeans ripped like that well 100 dollars a pair or more.
oh I can just see you two getting rid of things. My hubby tells our friends if we have to move again. He is getting three dumpsters first. For all my craft things.
I have never know a man to ever have lots of clothes in a closet. They go to visit family for a weekend they walk in with a gym bag. Smile on face and spout out. Hello everyone. We are here. Where is the wife. Dragging her huge suitcase with the pull handle's. I think that is somewhat like me. Hmmmmm.
Hey, I just looked at my jeans and they're ragged!!! I war the old stuff for gardening.
DeleteYou are a witty cad!
ReplyDeleteSince my daughter has spent days cleaning out her late father's basement and effects, I've been seriously purging!
much fun!
Your daughter has probably threatened you so that you are downsizing. Our daughter just says she will have fun throwing all our stuff out.
DeleteNot at all. I feel so badly for her. Plus her father dropped dead of a heart attack in front of her. It's awful! I had to take 3 loads to the dump for my parents. It was a terrible time!
DeleteHa, I love this post! I'm willing to dispose of things from time to time - but my husband? Not so much.
ReplyDeleteWe are all very different.I don't think there's any rhyme of reason to it.
DeleteHA! Love this! I am always asking Cameron why he doesn't like the garbage can!
ReplyDeleteMe - if it sits around for 6 months to a year. Out it goes!
Ha! Love this! I am always asking Cameron why he doesn't like the garbage can! ha ha!
ReplyDeleteMe - If it sits around for 6 months to a year, out it goes!
Cheri
Why can't couples ever get together on this issue?
DeleteSorry if you get this comment twice. Still struggling with the computer. :-)
ReplyDeleteYou were very brave to help with this job! Remember that one person's old clothes are another person's retro outfits!
Now we have stores that sell used stuff for charities. My daughter made great use of these stores as there was some expensive clothes let off.
DeleteRed, I do remember pantsuits vey well. I had a light green one the year I did my student teaching. I loved it.
ReplyDeleteNow, about being old.... :)
Pant suits and Leisure suits were all made from a certain material. I can't remember the name of it.
DeleteThat classy polyester? ;)
DeleteOh I always love a trip down fashion lane. :) B
ReplyDeleteSo that's what you call it!
DeleteWe are the opposite of you. My husband can't say goodbye to anything, every shred of paper has to be kept. It drives me crazy sometimes. We also live for 35 years in our house and it is packed to the attic, help....
ReplyDeleteI have some matches!!!
DeleteI do crazy things on the computer. Perhaps half my comment was published. :) Anyway, I enjoyed your post, as usual.
ReplyDeleteKeep the papers.. toss the bell bottoms. Or see if a vintage clothing store would appreciate them. If your MM will allow it, of course. :)
ReplyDeleteI've moved recently and gave away dozens of boxes of useful items to those in need. Among them, probably 8 boxes of clothes. My bigger closet here will still fill up!
I do not fight the irrational. I can control my own papers. It looks like you should make one more move!!!
DeleteI have all of my report cards, too, and class photos of my school days and of my teaching career. I have organized them all into albums. Now i am writing my memoir and they are coming in very handy for recalling the past.
ReplyDeleteGood on you for writing a memoir. All kinds of artifacts would come in handy. Teachers have left a lot of evidence behind. I'm sure many of our report cards are treasured in some places.
DeleteHa! Great post. I get my husband to clear out his old clothing every two years or so...he never throws anything away except socks which go to his garage for rags. He has some boots in his closet from the 1980's. Not sure when he last wore them.
ReplyDeleteIsn't spring cleaning fun! :)
It would be so much easier if we disposed of things on a regular basis. Then it would be easier to deal with the dust.
DeleteYou've made my day. The term Micro Manager will now be placed in drawer of my "handy phrase to use in emergency's " drawer. I see many uses for it.... p.s. I've begun using Craigs list as the process of downsizing my share of our collection begins.....:)
ReplyDeleteI should take a look at Craig's list. Kijiji works pretty well. My chain saw was only on one day.
DeleteThat's a subject which is obviously close to so may of your readers' hearts - including this one. I was told some years ago that my cancer was rather out of control. So I decided to start getting rid of 'stuff'. I got rid of acres of loft space. It was fun. So how come, I keep asking myself, have I still got so much stuff! This year I shall make a concerted effort! Oh look. What's that pink thing with wings that just went past the window?
ReplyDelete