...in the next few weeks/months, it will only be because he doesn't want to hurt his back!

I haven't done any serious sorting, consolidating and discarding for YEARS! We moved my parents in with us with all of their stuff in 1998, and they saved EVERYthing. Literally. Who had time to sort through stuff, working full time and taking care of them?

Then, soon after they passed away, I started getting sick, though I didn't recognize anything as symptoms. We just thought I was exhausted and stressed from the four or five years of taking care of them long distance, then here. So sorting through newspaper clippings and old utility bills wasn't high on my agenda.

Now that I'm not working, that's my big project. My big, ongoing, sisyphean project. Hoe and Throw.

Bob is happy about the paring down of stuff. What he's not happy about is that I am continually bringing stuff up from the basement, then other stuff from up here TO the basement, then different stuff from the basement up here...

Well, it makes perfectly good sense to me. That's the whole point of my project: sort stuff out, label it, and store certain stuff upstairs where it's safe and within reach, and other stuff in the basement where I can get to it if necessary.

Meanwhile, every day Bob says, "Isn't this the same box I lugged up here yesterday?" And I say, "Yes, but it has different stuff in it. See? I changed the label from 'high school yearbooks' to 'craft supplies'."

And it's driving the cats crazy, which is a bonus.

It seems like when everyone passes away, I get their stuff. Mom, Dad, GrandParents, Old Maid Aunts...you name it, I got it.

I know that when I pass, my DD will pitch it all..LOL. She may save pictures, but the other stuff is out the door. I'll let her handle it..

Right now, my closets are full..

Could you not do the sorting IN the basement so he doesn't have to keep lugging stuff up?

(You'd think I was a man, eh? )

I know some basements are really just crawl-spaces that are cold, dark, damp and yucky . . . but if that is not the case, why not just do it down there? In fact, instead of having him haul stuff, he can HELP sort!!

Good for you for tackling this project!! I've been doing some of the same . . .

Cherie

Good luck on finishing this huge project that you have taken on. Sounds like you are doing it the way I would do it and I could just hear my DH complaining about lugging up the 'same' box, which is actually a different box.

My parents, mostly my father, are going through their stuff in the basement and filing cabinets and cleaning out. My mother is the type to hold onto everything so this is a hard thing for her to do, especially with her health the way it is. I am helping as much as possible so that later there won't be as much work to do.

Good suggestions! I sort mostly upstairs because the basement has a cement floor and poor light. Upstairs has lots of space, carpet, windows...and music. I DO sort some stuff downstairs (and then he hauls up the trash and recycling!) But most of the stuff I'm hauling upstairs is stuff that is down there but belongs up here! (And vice versa)

Let him help sort? NUH-UH!! He would laugh if he heard that idea! Not his job description at ALL! He wouldn't dare touch my stuff, nor would I want him to!

Actually, he is not grouchy about it, more mystified.

I told him I was actually enjoying finally getting the opportunity to look through stuff and get organized, and I apologized for the extra work for him. His response? "If you're happy, I'm happy." Maybe he won't throw me out the window after all.

Yeah, it can get lonely too.

My basement is fully above ground, with lots of light, carpeted, TV, stereo . . . so I have no excuse.

You are going to feel good when this is all done . . . and so will he.

Cherie

I'm supposed to get it DONE?? I thought it was like laundry, or milking cows!

Frank, what I like best about retirement so far is NOT having an outline of what I want to get done the next day! I decided to give myself at least until the first of February with everything on my list having "if I feel like it" in parentheses.

so other than that hows retirement going? getting a lot done why not try writing an outline of what you want to get done tomorrow and go from there