husband Cleaning the Family Room ..... sort of a funny

[Hound dog]

husband asks me :

Honey, when is Nichole coming to pick up her sofabed and endtables? They're in the way.

Me: Those are my endtables......and she gave the sofabed to me.

husband: Don't you think she should at least come pick up Aubrey's toys?

Me: Those aren't Aubrey's toys. They're mine. (little tykes kitchen, little tykes table and chairs, little tykes crib, a stroller, a doll swing, ect lol )

husband: Yours? (look of both confusion and frustration on his face)

Me: Mine.

husband: Uh.......why do you have toys?

Me: Cuz I have grandkids, duh.

Now this is the man who has tons of stuff out there he never ever uses. It's cluttering up 75 percent of the room. I have the little girl toys for when Aubrey and Kayla are here. The boys toys are currently in my diningroom because it seems male grandkids have been visiting more often of late. lol The sofabed and endtables are staying. As is the loveseat that has been out there.

I have a picture in my mind how I want the family room set up. This is an enormous room folks. I want an area to lounge in....thus the sofa and the loveseat, endtables ect.....also have an entertainment center out there with a tv/dvd player. I want an area to do hobbies in. And I want an area the grands have to play in with their toys. Then we have a stage. Yup, don't ask........but we DO have our very own stage. This we use for storage mostly and it works out rather well. Would all work well as long as I can get husband to budge on tossing junk he hasn't used in forever. Used to be I could toss it when he went to work.....now he's home 24/7. ughhh

Guess I'm going to wind up helping him out there afterall. I'll just have to be firm about what he has to get rid of. And make him watch a few episodes of hoarders as reinforcement. lol

 

[1905]

I think I hear he's helping (yay!) (....OMG you have a stage!) You go out there and point, tell him what you have in mind for the end result and let him do it. Tell husband this, if it hasn't been used in a year, he doesn't need it. You need the space more and he has to toss it or you'll toss it. And then really do it. If it's a lot, get a dumpster delivered to your house and they take it away when it's full, I have no idea how much it costs, but my neighbor did this when his wife left him.

 

[Star*]

FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY RAT PACKING DF LOVING LITTLE HEART? I PITY YOU SO MUCH YOU WILL NEVER KNOW.

I threw away a box - a WITMANS SAMPLER BOX FROM VALENTINES DAY. It was MY BOX - my chocolates. MINE - see? MINE to keep, throw away - stomp on, set on fire (and in retrospect that's what I should have done, dang it, dang it, dang it!) But what did I do? Like a rookie I threw it IN.THE.TRASH. On top of the trash. IN. PLAIN. SITE.

And what did Packrattus AMERICANUS PIGNASTIUS do? YOU BETCHA......he absconded with that box. I mean before I even realized what I had done - I was NOT even 15 steps down the hall - and I realized with deep DARK fear my mistake.......I heard the den door open, the rustling of the trash and then the all familiar cry of the PACKRATTUS AMERICANUS PIGNASTIUS "oh I can use that" and I was so defeated....so angry with myself.

It was too late to rush out to the den and try to wrestle him for my box back. I've tried that before. I've gone there and said "OH I just realized a use for that....may I have it back?" and then tucked it at the bottom of the trash." and it angered him so much that there were discussions about his junk on into the night that I care not repeat. He's not a pig, he's not junky, he's saving important things - like for instance:

Shower curtains - EVER SINGLE LINER I have ever pitched - what for: PAINTING - and where did I have to go the day I hired a painter? To Lowes - for what? Drop cloths - WHY? Forgot where they were. Okay then - we'll throw them out. OH NO - we may paint again - he'll find them.

COFFEE CANS. WE HAVE OVER 150 5lb coffee cans. what for: SORTING NUTs, BOLTS AND screws - AND WHERE ARE THEY NOW? IN a trash bag rusting. Where are the nuts bolts and screws - ON MY THROWN OUT COOKIE SHEETS.....waiting to be sorted to go into the rusted coffee cans. Which now will probably need to be painted - BUT NOT TO FEAR we have NEVER thrown out a can of spray paint.

And telephone books - FOR THE LOVE OF BELLSOUTH - WHY are we keeping these? We have about 50 - GREAT kindling - and cheap. Um - you can't take the heat unless it's like -90 there FROSTY - WTH? I mean you're the man that doesn't own a coat. When it snows you're happy like the Yetti and you want to built a what? FIRE? WHERE? You took out the woodstove so the guy could paint - remember - NO you don't - I bought the drop cloths.

And my list Hound? Goes on and on and on and on - and A week ago - even though I was sick - we were predicted to get rain - the lawn HAD to be mowed. I went out and mowed it. Big mistake with bronchitis - but I did it anyway. And To my horror - I ran over a section of chain link fence that was no more than 18" wide by 4' tall in the weeds. WHY are we keeping this? I threw it in the TRASH CAN - KICK MY ASS - I should have buried it in the woods. I see the chain link three days later - in the trash? Noooooooooooooo hanging on the fence. WE may need that for ? FOR WHAT? We have over 1000, correction 1200 feet of 5' chain link fence in rolls in our yard - I know I dug it up years ago - it's still sitting there. poles and all. Ahhhh yes but this is a 4' section.

I can tell you what I'd like to do with that 4' section of fence - but I'm afraid I'd put it there - and it would find it's way back to somewhere ELSE.......GET WHAT I AM SAYING?

SO if YOUR husband is allowing you to throw stuff out?

GO. FOR. IT.

When we tried this ? I threw out stuff and at the DUMP - he was putting it back in the van.........OMG we were getting yelled at AT THE DUMP until the guy figured out he was PICKING THREW HIS OWN JUNK.

BRAVO HOUND _ you go for it.

And this is why he won't leave the house either 0r take a vacation - I swear he's afraid I'd clean up and throw stuff away - and he's right. HE IS RIGHT. (ROFLM dump OFF)

THE MAN SAVES CARDBOARD. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[Hound dog]

OMG Star! I can laugh........because I have one too.

Although so far, he hasn't resorted to picking it out of the trash..........IF I'm sneaky enough to get it in the trash right before the trash guy is due. omg

I haven't said he'll get rid of any of his stuff........but I'm sure as hades going to try!!! So far it's only MY stuff he wants to get rid of. I am NOT by any means a packrat. I'm currently fighting him over a box of expensive brand new beads I want to donate to someone who can put them to beautiful good use..........notice I said I'm fighting with him on this. They're MY beads! In another lifetime I used to make regalia for my kids to dance. My kids no longer have an interest. And so far my kids have not introduced my grands. to it........(makes sister in law and soon to be sister in law nervous/uncomfortable) so Nana has about a couple thousand dollars worth of hanks of beads not being put to good use. I even have a complete regalia outfit new and unused tucked away. Was hoping someday........but appears that day is not going to happen. So would like to see go to some family who would feel blessed to have it. husband is having a COW! He does not bead, of course. I have fabric I'm about to freecycle. (he'll probably stroke lol ) But I don't know many people who buy fabric at yard sales. I have my yarn, but that I used all the time. I haven my art supplies.........which I'd USE if he'd move his **** out! ugh

So? What's he got? 2 broken shop vacs. A zillion broken tools. Old books from his Mom's house. Now I love books.......but these we will never read. These are ancient books, not even in our interest. But because they are very old and been in th family FOREVER (family of packrats) he HAS to keep them. His carving stones, tools, ect. OMG the man hasn't touched it in YEARS. (stinks at it to begin with) And is NOT allowed to do it in the house.......so it doesn't get touched. (nothing worse than rock dust all over the room. He does the coffee can thing too. Only I make him use them to feed the dogs and outside cats. lol

He saved soda cans. DO NOT LET YOUR husband DO THIS!! I had......well I lost count of how many of those huge yard bags full of empty soda cans he was going to recycle for cash. They'd sat out there for 3 yrs! Little boy next door came and said his scout troop was recycling cans for cash for a project. Should've seen his face when I told him he'd need the whole troop to come get them. lol husband ranted about that for MONTHS........still will whenever he thinks about it.omg (that was an at work deal lol )

He doesn't do shower curtains........he does tarps, those bulky plastic tarps. I believe we have at least 20 by now. He has his stamp collection. Me? I'd like to burn it. I don't care if it's supposed to be worth a small fortune. SELL IT! Lord knows we could use the money. But no.......he just uses it to make a mess. Thought I had him selling it once..........turns out he bought MORE! I've heard about this stupid collection for almost 30 yrs.

The nuts/bolts/screws ect must be a guy thing. Cuz yeah. Rubber bands, staples....... I could go on but my brain hurts. And that's just what is in the family room. Not to mention the attic and the shed. Oh we have 2 broken weed eaters in there too. lol

Much of it sneaks out during yard sale weekend. He never comes out, afraid we'll put him to work. I sell what I can for a steal......rest is Opps, tossed out.....with sister in law hauling it straight to the dump in his truck. That helps some.

I'm still hearing about the silk size 16 shirts (think wild early 70's late 60's prints) I threw out when we were first married......a whole wardrobe of them.......he hadn't a chance in hades of ever wearing them again. lol

Yeah, gotta be careful how I throw them out. But I feel for you. Mine doesn't do cardboard at least......not yet.

I'm gonna do my best. Bet I don't get rid of half of what I want to. ughhhhh

 

[Star*]

Okay -

We have 2 acres - so don't go there sister -

HE DOES THE CANS - now - there is a rule - rinse, crush, bag. And he can keep the money. I don't drink anything in a can - so he can have the money. Last trip to the recyclers? Cha ching. $45.00 He was so proud.

The clothes from the 70's? OMG Okay - Can we talk? When I met him, I think I posted this under the "Is your husband a difficult child" and I posted honestly about what he looked like when we met. I also honestly added life happens, and I honestly will say - Life is not going to go in reverse so that you can get back into your 32x32 jeans and your size S biker T's. Let's GIVE them away. (did anyone else hear his head explode?) How about all those leather jackets? The bar in the closet (just one closet) was bending. You are NOT supposed to hang the equivelant of a full sized cow in your house, on a bar, with wooden hangers -ITS NOT DONE. And can we talk chaps, hats, gloves, boots, and where do you think you are using this junk Nannook? It's like 100 here. ----Adds the former biker - Well I might use that someday. hmmmm Okay someday BELL BOTTOMS may come back in style and I may marry David Cassidy - but until then? Lets sell these to a vintage clothier and get something that A. FITS YOU B. You can actually WEAR right now C. Won't ROT before you can a. fit it and B. wear now and D. Doesn't bend the bar.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT A PAIN IN THE DRIED CARCASS it is to oil all that leather year after year when you don't wear it? Just for kicks - since I've lost 160 pounds? I tried on HIS chaps and his Carhartts and came out and said WELL just when do you think YOU will be ahhhhh wearin these again PA?

Lemme see - tarps? I bet we could make a wedding tent for Nicole with combined efforts. Stamps? (raises hand - guilty) Beads? Um (raises hand guilty again) Material - (Box in the shed - dern it - guilty again) - are you sure we're not related?

I have no idea what cutting stones are - but we have boodles of Leather work and hides and stamps and somewhere out there is an industrial sewing machine or was - and tools - hahahahahaha aaaaaaaaaa hahahahahaha.

Books? Okay I did this - I made a list. The ones with ISBN numbers? I went on Amazon.com and looked the value up. The ones without? I went on Antique books.com and looked those up. SOME of those are very valuable. Depending on conditions, editions, foxing, binding, etc. What I had? I'm sure I got royally screwed on by our "oh so honest" corner book guy. HOWEVER he had time to sell them and wait for dealers - I didn't. I have no connections. So I sold him my lot for trade in his store. Again - I'm sure I got screwed but I got nice gifts for people in our family for Xmas. Now that I know what to look for? I wouldn't do it again and like I said probably gave him a small fortune. DO NOT do what I did - Put them individually on Amazon. Don't let any bookdealer have a look at them. Check them out for yourself, see what the going rate is - or take one or two at a time not a lot. as in entire collection "lot". I had books from 1800's and 1700's - not necessarily because of age - valuable - but I still think I had more than $45 worth of books. Lesson learned.

As far as broken stuff? What I'm doing now is asking him WHAT he wants to MOVE - and reminding him - WE ARE MOVING....and then seeing how much he wants to throw out.

As far as your material and beads? Craigslist it. YOU WILL SELL IT. Even the material - offer it as one lot - for $20 - and people will jump all over it. Just take pictures and be ready to deal with nuts.

Oh and the funny thing that IS similar? Out of all this junk? If I leave even a cup or my shoes in his room? OMG they are put in the kitchen and he says "Honey you left these out there." ROFL myJUNK off.

 

[Star*]

Oddly enough? Free list or craigslist the broken stuff.......seriously - people are killing each other for the metal right now - and I can't tell you why but they pick through our trash like it was gold. Even plastic stuff. NO IDEA but we finally had to put up a sign that says "OUR TRASH PILE IS ON CAMERA - PLEASE TAKE WHAT YOU WANT - BUT TAKE IT. YOUR LICENSE PLATE IS BEING RECORDED AND MESS MAKERS WILL BE REPORTED." I put a dummy camera up in our tree and that seemed to solve the pickers who were redneckin and trashin our curbside "finds" -----could NOT belive they would go through our stuff, get what they wanted and leave the rest strewn all over the flippin road almost EVERY week. Completely stopped the "thanks and nertz to you" Now my pickers are polite. You can teach jerks manners - you just have to tell them they are on camera.

 

[HaoZi]

You might want to check those really old books. I picked up some old ones at a big book sale for 50 cents each, from the late 1800's and early 1900's, they're all worth $10 or more each. See if they're worth anything and shovel 'em out on Ebay. He might notice the outgoing trash, but the outgoing mail? Not as likely.

 

[Hound dog]

Star...........want some beads and material??? Huh?? Are you sure?? just teasing. I want to give those away. People gave me things for my kids regalia when we were penniless because they wanted so badly to dance. I'd like to return the favor to some family.......or many......(yeah got that many lol) in need. husband would have just as big a cow if I were to sell them. He still firmly believes our kids are suddenly gonna hit the pow wow trail again. Breaks a mom's heart, but whatcha gonna do?

As for the books........several are classics, many are early 1700's and 1800's some from early 1900's. easy child already took the ones she'd wanted since she was a little girl. Nichole has no interest.....Travis has shown none. I have a suspicion I won't get him to part with those.......but if I do, I'll be careful. I'll talk with my old neighbor friend across the street who used to deal in collectible books ect. He's long since retired. He wouldn't cheat me........he used to attend our yard sales cuz of mother in law's vast amts of books that were always in them........and he'd coach us on how much to charge and to be wary of used book dealers that also love to scope out yard sales for deals. He never bought any.......his wife would've killed him, she is rather insistent about him staying retired. lol

We have a young mentally disabled couple that come collect anything metal we have in the trash that can be recycled. They always knock on the door and ask, and never make a mess.

And yeah........you got me beat for sure, both space wise and hoarder wise. husband worked for many years...........tons of his hoarded things simply up and vanished while he was away, you've no idea. Which is why it's becoming a problem....he's not working. ugh

by the way, I think it's quite possible we're related.

 

[Star*]

Well good - if we're related - then I can drop off a few things on my way North - Family heirlooms. BWahahahahah. (clasps hands over ears - NOOOOOOOOOO BEADS)