Paper or Plastic?

I'm not the kind of guy who keeps stuff around the house. Some people have an aversion - almost a psychosis - about not throwing stuff away. "I might be able to use that someday," they will say. "That might come in handy," is another common rationalization for keeping all manner of useless trash around the house.

Not me. There's no sentiment lost on me. If I can think of no reasonable, near-term, earthly use for an item, then I'll get rid of it. "Yes I know they're all the birthday cards your grandmother ever got but now they're just sitting in a box down in the basement. Why can't we pitch 'em?" "Yes I realize they're your favorite cassettes from when you were a teenager but we don't have a cassette player any more. What's the point of keeping them around?"

The biggest reason I don't keep odds, ends, and other things around the house is that I forget that I have those things. So many times I've gone to the hardware store to get something I thought I needed only to subsequently discover that I already had it. But it had just slipped my mind.

Yes, I have absolutely no problem with getting rid of stuff.

That is with the exception of one thing.

I can't seem to dispose of empty containers that might usefully hold something. Empty mayonnaise jars, olive bottles, salt water taffy boxes, potato salad containers are all kept in abundance down in my basement. I think it would be impossible for me to throw away an empty Altoids box. I mean look at the thing... It's just so damn useful! Today I had this big beautiful tin can with a snap-on top. I was heading it toward the recycling bin when I thought better of it.

You never know... it might come in handy some day.
K-