Joanna and I had a bit of a disagreement over today's downsized item, a Red Sox dog collar. She contended that it didn't count, since we bought it as a gift for friends of ours. It wasn't really ours to begin with, so I can't get credit for downsizing it. That was her position.
Our house, I countered, is actually full of things that may not belong to us. To begin with, we have a whole bunch of stuff that we've got on semi-permanent loan from our families. (Most of which will likely make their way into these pages over the course of the next year.)
I also tend to be irresponsible about getting gifts to people that we have made or bought for them. I could go into my basement right now and show you a bag of things that are for specific people. Why is that stuff still in my basement rather than in those people's hands? I have no good response for that question.
The worst example of this is a walking stick I made for my friend Jason's daughter. I crafted it as a gift for her when we went to visit back in 2007. Unfortunately, it needed a final coat of poly before we left for their home in Atlanta.
"As soon as we get home after the visit, I'll finish it and send it as a thank-you gift," I assured Joanna. Two years later it was still in my basement. I finally mailed it down to Georgia about a month ago.
Which brings us back to the dog collar. We bought it about two weeks ago to send to our friends Marc and Gianna. Their dog is a huge Red Sox fan.
If, as they say, past behavior is an indicator of future success, that dog collar could easily take up long-term residence on my work bench. But it won't. I put it in the mail today, and (since I get to make the Downsizing rules) it totally counts.
[NOTE: This is my first attempt to post to the blog
remotely, since we're enjoying a weekend at Alamoosook Lake. Hope it works.]
-- Post From My iPhone
So, the lawyer in me feels a need to clarify and memorialize this rule:
ReplyDeleteNo matter whether you possess the intent to give it away when you buy (or make) the item, if there is a possibility (or should it be a probability?) the item will remain in your home despite that intent, it counts as downsizing to actually get rid of it.
Of course, you have the power to amend the rule at any time. :o]
Cathy,
ReplyDeleteAs long as I have a lawyer behind me, I feel safe in all my decisions. It would be helpful if you could continue to provide legal justification for all I do! Thanks.