I went to an Estate Sale across the street from my house today. I live on a street where everyone is separated by acres of land. Not many acres, but acres nonetheless. So I do not know the people that live there at all.
My first thought when I walked in, "Holy Crap!" I mean seriously, stuff everywhere. It wasn't crap, but it was stuff... a lot of it. I couldn't believe the wide variety of things they had. And not just one of something, like three or four of everything.
Old flour sifters, cast iron skillets, cow decor, St. Patrick's Day decor, flare buttons, jewelry, wall art, hunting knives, pocket watches, and so much more.
Why? Why so much? Why aren't we satisfied with just one of something?
I looked at the jewelry. Some of the rings were beautiful! And I thought about how at one point in time that ring was special and meant a great deal to someone. And maybe it was given in some fantastic way, and she blushed and gushed and was so excited. And now it's sitting in a box next to a bunch of Christmas jewelry and clip-on earrings.
All this stuff that somebody spent good money on, and took time to acquire. And now it's left for strangers to paw through and take home to their already full houses.
I'm not knocking estate sales or garage sales or any type of sales. I think it's great when we can reuse and re purpose. But I don't thing that's what usually happens. I think there's an addiction to more and buying and getting a deal, even if it's on something we don't need.
It made me want to go home and clear out my house. Get rid of stuff that isn't used. Stop buying stuff. Use what I have. It made me think when I die I don't want to have a house full of stuff to become a burden to my kids.
Yes yes & yes! Oh how I adore a beautiful vintage bracelet that I know there's a story to or a nice old dining table to avoid buying some pressboard crap from IKEA... but INDEED there's still that X-factor (eXcess) in second-hand sales as much as there is in retail/new shopping.... Sometimes I think about all the stuff and where it is on a larger scale.... like the hoarders have it all in their house and waste-not but the non-hoarders are just as responsible for all the stuff in the world, it just doesn't clutter their immediate space... there's is just in a heap at a landfill somewhere. Ultimately I would LOVE to be neither of those (though I am both) and just stop getting stuff altogether!
ReplyDeleteoops logged in under wrong account!
ReplyDelete-Janna
Agreed Janna! I love how old furniture and other things are made with such quality. I would also love to be in the middle somewhere with not too much, not too little, but enough. I got this book from the library "Simple Country Wisdom (501 Old-Fashioned Ideas to Simplify your life)". I read this little bit in it and it really spoke to me on this subject.
ReplyDelete"Those who live in gracious homes tend not to be wasteful. Furniture and possessions are treated with care and made to last. Water isn't left on, and possessions aren't acquired without thought. This means that what is used is needed, what is bought is fully enjoyed, and what's left over can be shared with others."
This is what I want to be, thoughtful.