The Task: To finally sort through drivers, adapters and power cords that do who-knows-what and get rid of the things we don't need.
The Why: Some of the tasks we've done have been deep heart-matters sort of stuff. Not this. I just want to have less useless junk in my house. Period.
Why we haven't done this until now: Even before this journey, I would consider myself a pretty avid declutterer. I like to get rid of things, to organize and sort and streamline. But I am almost always doing these things while the hubby is at work, and I am never confident enough that I actually know what a computer-y item does to discard it. So I hang on to it, just in case....
The How: Luke was home with the flu today, so I cornered the poor guy with a stack of computer drivers, power cords and CD roms. I asked him about ever item in the stack, and got the affirmation I needed to throw almost all of it out.
The funniest items we still had: I swear I'm not a hoarder. At least, I don't think I am. But for some reason I still had the driver to a dial-up modem we had years ago. And the charger for a cell phone we got rid of last year.
The Verdict: It was kind of fun to laugh at computer games we used to play and joke about how slow dial-up Internet was. And now we have one less basket of junk in our house. Sometimes minimalizing is easy.
We are doing one small thing (almost) every day for a year to create a simpler, quieter, more intentional life. Take a moment to read all About Us, check out The Rules of our year long project and sign up for our RSS feed or "like" us on facebook so that you can follow our journey to radical simplicity!
I feel like every six months I find ANOTHER box of old cords, CDs, chargers, adapters, whatever. IT'S LIKE THEIR REPRODUCING.
ReplyDeleteI never know what any of it goes to so I don't blame you for worrying about purging it on your own!
31 Days to Living a More Intentional Life
www.ourfrontporchview.blogspot.com
Keep up the good work!! You are so encourging to families like ours who didn't think that this could be done. you've proven to us it can!! Thank you!
ReplyDeletelove this! I, too, leave all that cord-CD-etc for the hubby to deal with because I just don't know what everything is. The results? PILES of cords, CD, memory sticks, etc b/c hubby thinks we need to keep everything!
ReplyDeleteI hear that!! My hubby feels the need to keep cables and cords, etc... Just in case! Not to mention the fact they're in a bowling ball bag (we aren't avid bowlers- nor have we been bowling together- ever...)
DeleteUGH! I NEED to do this! The office is the one space in the house that is OUT OF CONTROL with clutter. The problem is, my husband is a computer engineer and insists on keeping every item and the box that it came in (in case we ever need to return it/send it to the manufacturer)so I guess I'm stuck with trying to organize the mess! The thing is, I can't even try to ask him "Do we really need this? Do we really ever use it?" because, like you said, I don't even know what most of it is or what it belongs to. haha. But you are doing a great job and encouraging me to examine what is really necessary. Thanks! :)
ReplyDeleteI desperately need to do this!
ReplyDeleteNice! We need to do this as well. Your poor hubby... so sweet ;)
ReplyDelete-Sandy
Gaah, we so need to do this... "One less basket of junk..", I think ours would be maybe 1 closet full of computer junk...
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder :)
Ieva
I do this frequently! The only problem I have is that I never know if I'm going to need a cord or whatever for the devices I purchase so I hold on to them until I get used to the device and know what it came with that can be discarded, but by that time the stuff has gotten lost somewhere (mostly because we prolly move in the meantime)and then I have to figure out what the cords I find go to. . it usually takes about a year to throw away cords for me. . . crazy processes. . Here's hoping that by the time the next move comes around we don't have the clutter for cords to get lost in anymore!!
ReplyDeletesimplybeecause.blogspot.com
I love your blog! you are so inspiring. I don't know how many 'technology' baskets my husband has, but I do know they definitely need to be gone thru!!
ReplyDeleteHaha, this post made me laugh. I am pretty good about getting rid of stuff, except when it's "hubby's stuff" that I can't even identify. Now I know that I just need to wait until the next time he's in a weakened or vulnerable state, so he can't escape from me, and maybe we'll finally tackle the box that has moved with us through three different houses!
ReplyDeleteI know! This is how I get my husband to sort through his clothes--wait until he's sick and bring a dresser drawer to him and ask him what he still uses! LOL!!!
DeleteI need my husband to do this too. Unfortunately he always "has a headache." You'd think I was asking for sex!
ReplyDeleteHigh five to Luke!
I like the idea of de-cluttering! and having just did my hall closet i feel SO good - but - there's always a but isnt' there :)
ReplyDeleteanyway i had so much fun going through all the old stuff and with that all the memories that resurfaced I was glad to have spent the time - however some memories made me unable or unwilling to get rid of some things - cause who knows without that item i might not remember the event - does that make sense?
Autumn
Take a picture of your special item. You can still remember it, but it takes less space. :-)
Delete