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Ah, yes...
It's been too long since I complained about something at any great length (on this blog).
Now I'm guessing that the following rant may step on some toes, but I gotta be me. And today me is wanting to rant incessantly about all the unnecessary crap that fill our homes.
This could be a post about stuff that needs to be thrown away or taken to your favorite local charity, but if I did that the guilt would overwhelm me and I would be loading up the back of my Jeep with old clothes and toys instead of enriching all of your lives with my own personal opinion. Sorry/you're welcome.
So instead, I'm going to talk about collecting things.
It's been too long since I complained about something at any great length (on this blog).
Now I'm guessing that the following rant may step on some toes, but I gotta be me. And today me is wanting to rant incessantly about all the unnecessary crap that fill our homes.
This could be a post about stuff that needs to be thrown away or taken to your favorite local charity, but if I did that the guilt would overwhelm me and I would be loading up the back of my Jeep with old clothes and toys instead of enriching all of your lives with my own personal opinion. Sorry/you're welcome.
So instead, I'm going to talk about collecting things.
If you collect something or have several collections of things, why do you collect what you collect? And at what point does your collection become (dare I say it), an obsession? Because while this is cute:
This is, um...a bit much:
Here's my thinking: If you own ten (okay, I'll be generous and say 20) of anything that needs to be dusted on a regular basis that serves no other purpose than taking up space, then I think maybe you may be a wee bit obsessed. If you purchase a large cabinet for the express purpose of displaying a bunch of figurines that are essentially indistinguishable from 10 feet away (especially if they're in a big honkin' cabinet), I think your collection is complete. It was probably complete about 50 figurines ago. But that's just me.
I know this may come off as harsh, but when I think about how much many of us spend on "collectibles", it just sort of irks me. We're wasting money on treasures that will fill our homes but not our hearts, leaving us both fat and empty at the same time. We all need Stuff. We all just need to make sure it's the Good Stuff -- spending time with friends and family, getting lost in a really good book, longs walks on the beach -- whatever the Good Stuff is to you. Besides, we're supposed to store up our treasures in heaven, are we not?
And for the love of all things good and holy, please don't tell me that the money you're spending is an investment, because handmade or not, IT'S A FREAKING BASKET!
A $184 basket. Which incidentally, is full of crap.
This is, um...a bit much:
Here's my thinking: If you own ten (okay, I'll be generous and say 20) of anything that needs to be dusted on a regular basis that serves no other purpose than taking up space, then I think maybe you may be a wee bit obsessed. If you purchase a large cabinet for the express purpose of displaying a bunch of figurines that are essentially indistinguishable from 10 feet away (especially if they're in a big honkin' cabinet), I think your collection is complete. It was probably complete about 50 figurines ago. But that's just me.
I know this may come off as harsh, but when I think about how much many of us spend on "collectibles", it just sort of irks me. We're wasting money on treasures that will fill our homes but not our hearts, leaving us both fat and empty at the same time. We all need Stuff. We all just need to make sure it's the Good Stuff -- spending time with friends and family, getting lost in a really good book, longs walks on the beach -- whatever the Good Stuff is to you. Besides, we're supposed to store up our treasures in heaven, are we not?
And for the love of all things good and holy, please don't tell me that the money you're spending is an investment, because handmade or not, IT'S A FREAKING BASKET!
A $184 basket. Which incidentally, is full of crap.
27 comments:
Can't wait to read the comments on this one!
Plus, at 7:00 a.m., it made me laugh. . . but only a little, because you're right.
Beanie Babies. I seriously don't know where they all came from - I may have purchased 4 or 5 during the "rush." They are crap. I have 4 huge boxes of crap. And sometimes nobody wants your crap.
Elephants. I have a cabinet full of elephants. Crap. Elephant crap. I'm about to pay someone to take this stuff off my hands.
Is that basket for sale?
I think I love you.
This made me laugh, and think of quite a few people I know - and I often ask the same question! Why why why???
Candy, you collect elephant crap? Well that's gross.
Charlie's dad recently died & he and his siblings had to clean out his house. He came home determined to NOT keep a bunch of crap that his kids would have to sort thru.
The only thing we "collect" is coffee cups. But we USE them. (We buy one wherever we travel. Then when I drink our morning cuppa, we're thinking about where we went. Today I'm in Wales.)
Okay, fine. But you don't mean books, right? Because if you're including books with Precious Moments and Longaberger baskets, then we have a problem.
Oh, Katdish, I knew I liked you, but now, I'm sure of it! I don't collect! And I definitely don't buy things that are difficult to dust, or have to be moved a lot in order to dust. Okay, well, except picture frames. But I can't get rid of those.
My mother-in-law, on the other hand, collects EVERYTHING! My husband and I have had discussions about what we are going to do with all that stuff! Oh. you. wouldn't. believe. the. stuff. in. her. house. Goofy stuff. No, I really mean "Goofy" the Disney character. A Goofy telehphone, every "Goofy" figurine imaginable, I could go on and on. We actually call her Grandma Goofy, and she likes it. I call her just plain "Goofy." Bless her heart. I do love her.
Thank you for reminding me to be thankful for my small house. I can't collect that kind of garbage. Besides, I loathe dusting. That's why the books - thank goodness they are excluded from the rant - are covered with the stuff. Unfortunately, my kid and husband are packrats. C'est la vie.
lol!!!
I don't get it either. to much crap!
You are absolutely correct!! What I find truly funny (for me anyways) is that when I get bored of collecting one thing, and sell, give away or whatever said one thing, I usually move on to something else. I've collected candle holders, unicorns, beer steins, and even egg cups. Yes that's right, egg cups. I have a whole set I collected from every town I was in on my last trip to Ireland, plus various others that struck my fancy. I am still in the process of perfecting my egg cup collection, it really is fun eating eggs this way. So Hello, my name is Valerie and I am addicted to egg cups.
Really funny. Our house has way too much crap... we weed it out from time to time. I have one Longaberger
basket. Worth $300. Laundry basket, one of the first
made in 1973...The garage sale at which I bought it,
lady had it marked $15...I said will you take $10.
She did. I keep afghans in it (blankies..not People.
When I die, the kids can sell it for $5 at their yard sale lol
Solution to crap dusting, cleaning service every two
weeks,while I eat bon bons!
Ouch!
Do the 10 years of clothing arranged by sizes (just lose 20 lbs, maybe next year, you're dreaming)count?
Of course, this is coming from the guy who still has his college ID from Reagan Administration still in his wallet...
Yay, someone else who hates on Longaberger. I felt so alone in my dislike, until now. FREEDOM!!!!!
Anyhoo, I don't collect squat. You know why? Because I'll become one of those lunatics who scours every stinkin website/antique store/roadside stand looking for the objects of my obsession. Yes, I have an addictive personality. It's a shortcoming, but I'm aware of it and keep it at bay. (Except for shoes and lipstick. I'll collect those until I die...in fabulous shoes and great looking lips, thankyouverymuch)
My oldest was about 6 when the Beanie Baby craze hit. She got them because she played with them, not as a means of putting herself through college someday. Our rule was simple...we wouldn't pay more than $10 for them. One day we were browsing in an antique store with my mom. We found one (it escapes me what it was, but it was red and I think it had horns). Anyway, Lindsay had really been looking for it. The lady wanted $30 for it, so I said no. But Grammy said yes and bought it. We get to the cash register and the lady goes on and on about what a "good deal" this is and how Lindsay needs to take good care of it since it's "gonna be worth a lot of money one day". She carefully wraps the Beanie up in tissue paper and gingerly hands it over to my excited little first grader. Ahhh bliss. Then Lindsay tears the tissue paper off, and...wait for it...pulls the swing tag off it's ear and starts snuggling with it (because, yeah, she played with hers, she didn't put them in glass cases on shelves".) As God is my witness, when Lindsay pulled the tag off, I thought the saleslady was going to need CPR. She audibly gasped and swayed a bit. She screeches out "You've just ruined it!!!!!". I think I peed a little in my laughter, but that was a long time ago, so I can't be for sure...
Do books count?
No, Laz...
Books definitely DO NOT count. I love me some books. And old movies don't count either.
I have never bought an angel figurine in my life. I somehow have a collection. Students bought them for me. I displayed them. Family saw it and started buying them for me for Christmas since I "collect" them. My "collection" is now hidden in a box, and I am insisting on not exchanging gifts with adults this year. I am having an ornament party, which will work like a grab bag. We get the joy of selecting an ornament we like for someone else without spending oodles of money on things no one actually needs or wants. My mom selected an ornament with a polish blessing, and I selected one with the Holy Family on it.
What were we talking about?
Oh yeah...collections...
I have lots of ornaments and knicknacks that belonged to my mom and grandma. I remember when I look at it, so I don't want to get rid of it. Lots of stuff... What's one more ornament to add to the mix? :-0
I don't collect but never fear, I find all sorts of unimportant things to waste money on...
you are one fine ranter!
I have to admit this hurt me! I have collections (I think that curio cabinet pic was from my house)... I don't want all these collections, but if you ever mention you like something, it seems like everyone starts getting them for you.
My mom and MIL are the worst at this. I once saw a cute frog for my yard & now I have a pile of them, inside AND outside my house... how do I make the madness stop?
I have OCD and hate clutter...
I'm working on selling and/or donating it, but... ugh!
At least I don't collect elephant crap.... I do have some limits!
Katdish, I really hope that someday you'll be able to express how you feel. But for now, how about just grabbing a Snuggie out of your collection and having a nice nap?
I came back to read the comments. Love all the comments.
I agree with Billy, and you. Books so Don't Count!
Or art. Good Art. Great Art. Books can be art.
wow, guess collectibles certainly can get out of control.
I won't collect anything that requires alot of dusting!!!
and like you said, then it just becomes gobby.
I collect antique plates, that we can eat on. When I set my table, everyone has a different plate and I love it. It brings me joy.
Helen, Somehow you having angel figurines seems logical. I have Beanie Baby and elephant angels. Send me your address. Let she who has angels not be judged.
Retired and Rare Beanies. MINT CONDITION, NWT! Free for the taking. 250+ - but you must take them all. Even posting them on Craigslist made my computer shut down. So email me at steeletheday[at]gmail[dot]com if you want them.
I collect pool tables. Well, I have one. But you can have that, too.
Lovely rant. You're awesome.
xo
Nope. Not a collector really. I have hand made boxes but only a dozen, and seashells I collected from the ocean myself over the years and fetishes -- artwork on the walls -- but I try not to go overboard with anything.......dusting is difficult enough. We have silver from Excy's family but it's behind the breakfront so doesn't get dusty thankfully and I do use it.....
Ooops, some folks may take exception to your remarks or rant, but not me.
My dh and I have one collecting addiction, we buy books.
When we get too many, which is all the time, we give them away or sell them at a used book store, for credit so we can buy more books.
We aim to keep the number of books in balance, i.e. buy ten and get ten out of the house :)
But we don't collect figurines, baskets or other doo-dads.
No wonder our economy has gone to wreck and ruin ... people have stopped collecting! Not that I ever collected ... well, maybe just a little but not so that anyone would notice ...
OMG! I started collecting tea pots when I was in my early twenties, and I hate tea. I then moved on to spoons, thimbles, Precious Moments, china dolls, lead crystal, cookbooks, and dragons. The only one I still derive pleasure from is the dragons...for some strange reason, they touch something deep insde. I have never had more than a few of anything, except for the cookbooks, and they all still give me pleasure, but when I am finally moved into this place, most of the collections will need a new home.
Hopefully there are otheres out there who still have been hooked on collecting, so they will find another home...not mine!
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