4 ms·

The article talks about a disposable economy. For most people, wealth doesn't vome from constantly spending money on disposable items (such as the article's me

The article talks about a disposable economy. For most people, wealth doesn't vome from constantly spending money on disposable items (such as the article's mention of flat-pack furniture). I think it was The Expanse book series that mentioned wood furniture is a rare commodity. Depending what path we take with the planet, jobs, and commodities, the same could be true in our future. I'm outfitting my home with hardwood furniture. I think it's more durable, nicer, and with the right styles and finishes - aesthetic. I'm definitely not collecting things like a hoarder to "pass down". I have a family member that is a hoarder, and it's completely irrational, and the hoarding is so bad, that the items are treated poorly and lose value. Unfortunately the tens of thousands of dollars this person is spending "for us oneday" will be absolutely worthless.

deleted 6y ago
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WalterBright 6y ago
I once visited an estate sale I was walking past. It was an older home, packed to the gills with trinkets. One bedroom was filled just with Christmas decorations. I suspect that grandma was collecting all this stuff to give to her heirs. But those heirs were selling it all for pennies. It was all kind of sad.
- deleted 6y ago
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- atwebb 6y ago
  Unfortunately, I've cleared a few of those family houses (my family that is, it isn't my job). People eventually pass, it is a fact. The vast majority of things eventually depreciate, regardless of initial value. It took a while, but I've really tried to focus on retaining what has value to me (not just in general). We kept a lot of things from relatives early on because they owned them. We've pivoted more to: 1) Things we know for a fact need to be kept (historical records, important documents for closing estates, etc) 2) Things that continue to have value in the present, they are either functional (hey, I have a ladder now!) or sentimental and worth the operational cost (hey, I have a curio!). I type this in a room with a handful of things, it is a mix of new (computer desk chair) and functional family items (stereo, storage cabinet). If I can find a use for a family item, that's great, but I'm not going to invent one unless it fits in the above 2 points. That was long, but I'd say the estate sales aren't necessarily sad. You don't know what was kept and why.
jseliger 6y ago
I'm outfitting my home with hardwood furniture. I think it's more durable, nicer, and with the right styles and finishes - aesthetic. Depends on how often you have to move, and whether your stuff is easy to move or hard to move, and whether you're prevented from living where you really want to live by the things you own. For most people, it appears that human relationships really matter and stuff exists to enable those relationships. If you are too busy caretaking your stuff, or choosing apartments based on what your stuff will fit into, you are degrading your relationships to care for your stuff.
- ip26 6y ago
  There's a middle ground. Simple hardwood desk. Rudimentary hardwood bed frame. A comfortable wood chair. A maple cutting board. They don't have to be big, horribly heavy, and ornate. They can be simple, durable, and provide utility for years when particleboard would have disintegrated.

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

WalterBright 6y ago

I once visited an estate sale I was walking past. It was an older home, packed to the gills with trinkets. One bedroom was filled just with Christmas decorations. I suspect that grandma was collecting all this stuff to give to her heirs. But those heirs were selling it all for pennies. It was all kind of sad.

deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
atwebb 6y ago
Unfortunately, I've cleared a few of those family houses (my family that is, it isn't my job). People eventually pass, it is a fact. The vast majority of things eventually depreciate, regardless of initial value. It took a while, but I've really tried to focus on retaining what has value to me (not just in general). We kept a lot of things from relatives early on because they owned them. We've pivoted more to: 1) Things we know for a fact need to be kept (historical records, important documents for closing estates, etc) 2) Things that continue to have value in the present, they are either functional (hey, I have a ladder now!) or sentimental and worth the operational cost (hey, I have a curio!). I type this in a room with a handful of things, it is a mix of new (computer desk chair) and functional family items (stereo, storage cabinet). If I can find a use for a family item, that's great, but I'm not going to invent one unless it fits in the above 2 points. That was long, but I'd say the estate sales aren't necessarily sad. You don't know what was kept and why.

jseliger 6y ago

I'm outfitting my home with hardwood furniture. I think it's more durable, nicer, and with the right styles and finishes - aesthetic. Depends on how often you have to move, and whether your stuff is easy to move or hard to move, and whether you're prevented from living where you really want to live by the things you own. For most people, it appears that human relationships really matter and stuff exists to enable those relationships. If you are too busy caretaking your stuff, or choosing apartments based on what your stuff will fit into, you are degrading your relationships to care for your stuff.

ip26 6y ago
There's a middle ground. Simple hardwood desk. Rudimentary hardwood bed frame. A comfortable wood chair. A maple cutting board. They don't have to be big, horribly heavy, and ornate. They can be simple, durable, and provide utility for years when particleboard would have disintegrated.