Get Rid of It Project #17 or Trusting God and the Case of the Mysterious Boomerang Basket-And a Great Giveaway
Today’s Get Rid of It Project: Get rid of something you could possibly one day use, or has some value, but you know would bless someone else.
Several years ago, as my first husband and I were cleaning out the house we were going to have to put up for sale, we were both in positions where we had to get rid of a lot of stuff.
He was going one way, and my kids and I were going to go live with my parents in Sacramento, two hours away from where we had been living in San Jose, CA.
While my parents house was big, we were going to be doubling the population of the residence. I needed to drastically par down.
The problem was that so much of the stuff that I had could be useful again. Someday.
There were books that I loved, dishes that I could use when I had a house of my own, linens and wedding gifts and fondue pots and so much stuff. And it broke my heart to give it all away. It felt like an admission that I had failed at not only marriage, but at grown up life.
So I did something different than a garage sale or just taking it all to Goodwill. I had what I called on the invitation a Buddy Blessing.
I invited all my best girlfriends over and had them clean house. I put every book, candle, knick-knack, cup and table cloth in my living room and told my friends to go shopping. I probably gave away hundreds of things.
Was it hard to see some stuff go – absolutely. There were a lot of memories tied to some of those items.
But here is the cool thing. When I would go to visit friends, I would see the book I gave them on their coffee table, or see the tea cup that used to be in my picture window being used as a tiny vase in their breakfast nook. It sure was a lot better than paying storage on things I wouldn’t see month after month.
And then, a few years later when it was time to set up house with Roger, I unpacked the boxes that I had kept, and tried to remember what all I had given away and what I needed to replace. And what did I come up with? One thing.
The only thing I missed out of all the things I had given away was this cute little basket that had four slots in it – one for knives, one for forks, one for spoons, one for napkins. That was it.
Now the funny thing about that little basket was this. I couldn’t remember who I gave it to – it didn’t matter, I wasn’t going to ask for it back. It wasn’t that I regretted giving it away, it was just that it was the only thing I missed.
A week after Roger and I got married, my friends Chris and Vikki were packing up their house to move to Arkansas. As we were painting and cleaning and sorting to get them ready to move, I saw the magic basket. Vikki saw it at the same time I did and asked “Do you want that back? We aren’t going to be able to take it with us.”
It was like God arranged free storage of our basket for a couple of years.
That was a very long story to say this: I don’t know how much God cares about a silverware basket, but I do know that the stuff I hang onto out of the fear that I will need it “someday” is much better off in someone else’s hands than mine.
And here is where I can help you pass on something to someone you love. In the next week (that is, by next Friday,) if you post a comment here telling me about something that you passed on to a friend that you knew they could use, I will put you in a drawing for a copy of The Husband Project to be sent to the friend of your choice – on me from you.
Every season (well here in texas we only have winter and summer – but you get the point) I go through my daughters clothes. For the first few years I kept everything – so many memories. But with 3 kids, I was running out of storage space – and who was I kidding anyway – we were not having any more kids – and I can’t keep everything. So I now give them to my dear friend – who has a daughter the same age as mine – but is one size down from my daughter. It turns out that this has been a blessing to both of us. Her husband lost his job and it took over a year to find another one….so they got free clothes for their daughter. I got the blessing of still seeing these beautiful clothes being used by someone who really needed them and appreciated them. And I still get to see them and relive the memories.
Love all the comments! I once heard that keeping things you don’t need/love/use is keeping a blessing from someone else. Isn’t it easier to get rid of stuff when you’re thinking that way?! I love that God works through us and in us, even in the mundane acts of housework!
Oh, and I’ve put all my hangers backwars. We’ll see how that works.
I’ve been putting out box after box of stuff in front of our house labeled “free”. It’s amazing how fast it all goes. And I find that I prefer giving it away instead of having a garage sale.
We have been on a roll sorting, tossing, donating and even putting things on the street with free signs on them and it feels good. Today we put our microwave/oven that we pulled out to upgrade on the street with a free sign and it left for a new home before the day ended. Now we have plans for tomorrow and this is going to take place until we feel free of clutter. Amen!
What great tips. I really enjoy reading them. Thanks for sharing.
What a great story!! We just recently got rid of our bedroom furniture b/c we needed to downsize. We gave it to our cousin, who had just given theirs to their mother-in-law.
shelcows AT gmail DOT com
Lisa –
I DID get your wicker chair!!! I was jsut thinking about that!!! It is on our patio and is greatly loved. (And yes, we need everything – our house is falling aprart – let me know when and where and the Lipps will be there 🙂
One of my favorite give away moments was when we remodeled our home. My mom’s house was in need of a number of things, so the cabinets and the kitchen sink, that were about to be tossed in the trash by our contractor, were remade to fit her kitchen. To this day I can’t believe the difference it made in her kitchen. Then when we moved, the new carpet I had installed wasn’t the color the new owners wanted, so we pulled it up, pad and all, and put it in her family room. I gave her some dressers, our dining room table, bedroom and a living room set among other things. My boys love going to Grammy’s house because, as my son puts it, “It feels like home with all our old things around us, it’s comfortable.” One of my other favorite moments was when we cleared the house and garage just before moving day, I emailed friends, and then put a add on craigslist that said “Everything free, you’ve got 24 hours, come and get it.” I did it twice. My friends have apart of our home, and I met some great people that could use our stuff, we no longer had room for. Truth be told it was freeing! Kathi, was it you who ended up with the wicker chair? I’m about ready to do it again…need anything! 🙂
Proud of you girls!
I have to say, I am staying at a friends house and I am loving the lack of clutter. She has everything she needs (and a bunch of movies I’ve been wanting to watch,) but there aren’t the “extras” everywhere that make my house feel so cluttered. I am inspired.
I certainly have somethings in mind; my old microwave we keep just in case the one this house came with breaks down, and a nice TV set someone gave us that collects dust in the garage.
But this reminded me of when a good friend and neighbor of mine went through a divorce and her husband cleaned out their house leaving her AND her kids with nothing but their clothes and beds! I had just bought a new set of pots and pans and hadn’t figured on giving away my good (pampered chef) old set. I was planning on using them for camping or just as a second set if needed. That same day when my friend came over in tears telling me what happened I immedietly gave her my entire old set! It felt so good to do it and to go over later and see them using it. It was a double blessing for the both of us! God works in amazing ways!
This story is inspiring. God really does care about the little things. I definitely have the I-will-use-it-someday syndrome. With this challenge I will give away my things and heave a sigh of relief.