Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Outdated and Unused

It's time again for me to clear out the clutter. I'm getting an early start on Spring Cleaning, esp since the rain has kept me from going out to the beaches. At work, I'm very organized and keep to just the basic essentials; it helps me work faster and more effectively. My workspace is a model of efficiency. At home, it's a different story.

I'm a packrat. I tend to keep a lot of stuff, some of it I don't even need or use anymore. Part of it stems from my belief that I shouldn't throw out things that are in good working order. I don't like to waste stuff. Part of it is because I'm afraid that I might throw something out, only to need it later on. I often keep a lot things that are somewhat outdated. Some things I hold on to, because they have sentimental value.

I actually have jeans and shirts that I used to wear my last year of high school! I still have movie stubs and bus tickets from over ten years ago! I also have grocery receipts from last year, neatly filed away! I'm not sure why I still have those. But I need to get rid of them. I've also amassed quite an eclectic collection of plates and utensils from other people who gave them to me. I've got two slow cookers! And they both work great.

Every few months, I have to go through and sort out the things I've accumulated and try to get rid of the clutter and junk. I have enough old stuff lying around to open my own museum. And today, I'm going to show you some of that stuff.

Like this old telephone!



I don't even see this phone in office buildings anymore! I doubt many people even have it in their homes either! I found it in my first apt on the East Coast when I was living there many years ago. It works, so I keep it around. It's hardy, too. They don't make phones like this anymore! You can slam the receiver down hard or drop it and it'll still work. I still have a landline. It's useful, esp when the cell towers are down due to storms or power failures.

I've also got some old stuff that works but I don't use anymore.

Check this out.



No, that is not a laptop.

That is a word processor! Complete with a green screen and floppy disks! And it still works!



That thing is over ten years old! I haven't used it in ages, but I can't bring myself to get rid of it. It's the first major electronics purchase that I made, and it was very useful when I needed to type up papers back in the day.

And here's the printer that goes with it.



It's an old printer, too. How old? Just look at the connections. No USB, just a parallel port! It's the kind where you have to screw in the connections!



My stereo is old, too! Over ten years old! It can still play cassettes, which is good because I've a few on hand. I still have the original stickers on the front of the stereo! I kept them on after removing the stereo from its box.



I like to keep the plastic on things, just to see how long they'll last. It's one of my quirks. I still have the plastic covering on the keypad of the microwave and on my car stereo. It drives my friends crazy to see the plastic instructions still on the car stereo! They always complain when they see the plastic sticker still on stuff. And I like torturing them, knowing that they just want to rip the plastic sticker off but can't because it's not their car. The same thing with the microwave! Mwahahahaha!

Then I have new stuff that I don't use, because the old way still works for me.

I got this drink mixer from a friend as a gift.


It's still in the box. Still works. But I don't really need a fancy mixer to make a screwdriver or a milkshake. Actually, when I feel like a milkshake, I just melt ice cream and crumble cookies or cake in the cup. I'm not a milk drinker, so I don't use any milk.




I also got this rice cooker/vegetable steamer as a gift from some friends. They were horrified when they found out that I did not have a rice cooker. It's still in the box with the pretty, shiny bow on it.



I'm sure it works great. But I like to cook rice the old fashioned way:



That's right. I still use a pot to cook rice. It works for me.

I'm going to be busy over the next week tidying up and sorting through the things I've attained over the past few months. I've got some serious recycling and repurposing to do. I've got figure out what to donate and give away. I don't like seeing piles of stuff just taking up space. That just makes me feel claustrophobic and stressed out. It's my home, not a junkyard. And all that cleaning and decluttering actually leaves me feeling very accomplished and relaxed. Now if I could only figure out how to stop myself from getting a hold of all this junk in the first place.

8 comments:

  1. have a yard sale and donate what's left to goodwill. xoxoox

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  2. Looks like good stuff to me!

    Oh Hai Savannah!

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  3. I love that stereo! I still have ones with a cassette option too. I still have a fairly good collection of cassette tapes, even after giving a few of them away.

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  4. Oh sweetie! My stereo was purchased in 1993! I'm at an age now where I think 1993 was only ten years ago...
    And the radio I'm listening to at the moment is an old fashioned ghetto blaster - early nineties... but they seemed so expensive when I bought them and they still work very well that I don't feel justified in throwing them out.
    I still have a tape recorder from the early eighties/late seventies... one day I will open a techno antique shop.
    Sx

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  5. That stereo looks really cool! I love it!!

    And as for the phone - Now that's a receiver one can slam down after an irritating call.

    I'm off. If anyone asks, I've gone back in time to the early 90s.

    * poof *

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  6. Savannah, You know, that might be a good idea! It would be a change to be the one selling stuff at a yard sale rather than buying it!

    XL, They are good stuff. They still work! And I just can't throw them away because that's just wasteful. I just don't want to end up hoarding stuff. That would be an awful waste of space.

    Tara, That stereo was one of the most expensive things that I first bought when I was on my own! I like that it works well and it's lasted this long :) Definitely one my best buys.

    Scarlet B, Those old fashioned ghetto blasters are cool! And you're so right about keeping this stuff around, esp. since they were very expensive in the first place! That stereo was the most expensive thing that I bought when I first lived on my own! My friends from back in the day are surprised that it's lasted this long! It's one of my most fave purchases ever!

    I had an old tape recording answering machine to go with my old phone, but some water got spilled on it and it shorted out. And I can't find cassette answering machines anywhere! And I've even looked in some of the old tech shops and pawn shops!

    IDV, Thanks! I like that stereo, too. And I have slammed that receiver down on offensive, rude, and annoying calls on occasion!

    Enjoy your trip to the 90s! If it's not too much trouble, pick me up a Big King from Burger King if you've some time. I miss that burger!

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  7. I have kept my dial phone all these years as it's true - they are hardy. I love your collections of things. Find somewhere good to donate the items you no longer need. Someone will be very appreciative

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  8. Snooze, That's why I like my dial phone! Those wireless ones are fragile and they don't work when the power's knocked out during hurricanes and storms. I've got a box all ready half full of stuff to give to people and another box for stuff I'm donating. I know I appreciated getting useful stuff from people when I was starting out. And I still have some of that stuff!

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