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For those who read last week’s blog and wondered what miscellaneous “adult stuff” I would be giving away, I’m afraid it’s rather boring – but boring with a lesson. Now that I’ve gotten rid of  the kids, here are some miscellaneous parent contributions:

  • 2 homemade pew banners from our kid’s First Communions. Now really, by definition you can’t have more than one “First Communion” per child and we don’t know any parish kids that have the last name “Vogt.” Still, it’s hard to give away homemade religious mementos.
  • 2 table cloths. Even if we put a cloth on every table on our block, we don’t need all the ones we have.
  • Incense stick holder. The last time I used incense for a liturgical service, it started a coughing fit for one woman. Comfort trumps atmosphere.
  • Weed trimmer line. The weed trimmer that this line fits died. This is an easy call.
  • Pinking shears. I already have one that’s better. I guess I inherited this extra one. Even someone who does a lot of sewing only needs one.
  • All-purpose flashlight/tool kit. This seemed like such a handy thing to keep in the car for emergencies until we remembered that flashlight batteries die when left in a corner of the trunk waiting for an emergency. Besides, we don’t know which tools to use for what. You never know when a miscellaneous bug or snake is going to need squishing but I think a foot or rock would probably do the trick.
  • A travel alarm was a good idea – before cell phones.
  • Tissue case – Yes, it’s pretty but really, how elegant does one have to be when reaching for something with which to blow your nose.
  • Ashtray made out of a shell. We never smoked and know few people who do. I suppose it could be a candy or whatnot dish, but I hardly have any whatnots around anymore either.
  • Empty clothes hangers. This is a good sign that I’m reducing my overall pool of clothes that need hanging. Maybe a Second Hand store can use them.

The point here is not all the random stuff that I found. Surely your stuff will be your unique miscellaneous collection. Ponder the relative insignificance of whatever you uncover. Yes, maybe it can be used in a craft project someday – but will you really know where to find it if that day comes?

A question for you: So what relatively useless stuff do you have around your home? It can be a hassle to decide where to take each thing as you notice it. Collect stuff for awhile in a box and then periodically purge.