Page 25 - Brandon Sun - Your Home your Way (2019)

Difficult divesting chore

can have its advantages

In my 30s, just as I began We spent at least nine
acquiring (kids, house, furni- months sorting through the ac-
ture for said house, etc.), I no- cumulation of 30 years of living,
ticed that my parents suddenly raising children and acquiring.
stopped acquiring and began di- We tossed, we shredded, we
vesting. It seemed like an abrupt sold, we donated, we hosted Everything You Need
shift, as if a switch had been garage sales. I donated maybe for Inside & Out!
thrown. Almost 40 years later, I a thousand books to the library
now find myself doing the same. and to a charitable organization
At that time, my parents that raised gobs of money for
were moving out of their capa- college scholarships by selling
cious, mid-century ranch-style used books. We gave away or
home in Massachusetts where sold garden tools. We tossed
they had raised kids and added dozens and dozens of tape cas-
on rooms and renovated and settes and eight-track tapes. We
landscaped several times. They tried foisting our possessions
needed to get rid of things to on our now-adult children who
make the move to more com- were even more resistant than
pact digs in a sunnier clime. I we had been in accepting my
was focused on getting my kids parents’ castoffs.
into the best school system, Our outdated computers
updating our ancient kitchen, went to recycling centres. These
purchasing some dining room early Hewlett-Packard com-
furniture — doing what we puters had been learning ma-
could with our modest financial chines for our children as they
resources. What we couldn’t af- grew. Very quickly, though, the
ford, I merely lusted after. We children had become our tutors.
renovated each room of our The oldest machine, practically
drafty Victorian manse, bit by an original, was now a collector’s
bit, spending all our spare time item. That one we kept. Electri-
poring over wallpaper choices, cal tools, electronic devices and
paint chips, upgrading windows old calculators were part of the
and window treatments, shop- collectibles for my engineer hus-
ping at garage sales for toys and band.
bikes and household appliances There were crib accessories,
in decent shape. toys and Lego bricks that had
I think the desire to expand to be sorted through. Heavy
and acquire changes with age luggage that was a wedding
— driven in part by the need to present, and the luggage that
downsize, but also as part of a my husband had brought with
reckoning with mortality. One him when immigrating to the
begins to accept the truism: you United States from Israel in his
can’t take it with you, so you 20s. All of that went. There was
might as well pass it on. a record of our family’s history
My husband and I moved contained in all that was left. • VINYL FENCING AND DECK BOARDS
from New Jersey to the Wash- It was painful, all this di-
ington region eight years ago, vesting. Painful and interesting. • CEDAR SPUT RAIL
not knowing what our new res- I spent hours shredding can- • ALUMINUM RAILING
idence would look like -- how celled cheques and old income
spacious, what style of house? tax forms. Remember cancelled
TH
Would there be storage, a ga- cheques? Turns out old checks 1840 – 18 STREET NORTH, BRANDON
rage, a basement, an attic, clos- are a peephole into personal 204-728-4243
ets? Would the living area ac- history and family economics.
commodate our furniture? Both This is what my therapist used Fax: 204-727-2619
my husband and I had offices in to charge. This is how we some- Toll-Free: 1-800-224-7506
our house in New Jersey, large how made it through seven long www.windsorplywood.com
offices. Would that be possible years of college costs. Store Hours: Mon. – Fri. 7:30 am – 6:00 pm;
Sat. 9:00 am – 5:00 pm; Closed Sunday
in Washington? » Washington Post