I have resolved to rid myself of a bunch of junk I do not need and have not used. Now seasonal clothing gets an exception, of course. I managed to throw out a bunch of stuff already, and then I opened a bin full of computer parts: old hard drives, an ethernet card, a 56k modem, cut up IDE cables, a parallel port printer cable, telephone cords, old RAM SIMMS, a ZIP drive (I own no ZIP disks). I put them gently on top of my trash pile and started shaking, got a queasy feeling. I knew I was a pack-rat, but I didn't realise how hard it would be to rid myself of the habit. It's horrible. I need to pitch some of this stuff, but my I-might-need-it-later gene is too strong for casual resolve. :P Grr, I want to get a new computer, but I want the room cleaned first. I bit of a deal-braker with myself if I can't do this... I thought maybe I could put it in a bin and put it into storage, but that just moves my problem to a different location.
So... I've made a Litany Against Pack-Rat-ing:
"I must not Pack-Rat. Pack-Rat-ing is the space-killer. Pack-Rat-ing is the little-death that brings total obliteration through accumulation. I will face my Junk. I will permit it to pass over me and into the rubbish bin. And when it has gone, I will turn the my eyes to see the space I've freed. Where the Junk has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain In a less cluttered room."
determined