Dear Queenie,
My partner refuses to throw anything away. And when I say anything, I mean anything. Old phone chargers for devices we no longer own. Empty containers “that could be useful.” Cords of unknown origin. Boxes for appliances purchased during the Obama administration. Every time I suggest getting rid of something, I hear the same response: “That may come in useful.” Useful for what, Queenie? I am beginning to think we are one step away from starring in our own episode of Hoarders: Caribbean Edition. Closets are full. Drawers are overflowing. The garage is a museum of “things with potential.” Meanwhile, I am the one trying to maintain some order in the house. I understand wanting to be practical. We all save a few items for a rainy day. But at what point does “just in case” become “we have too much stuff”? Queenie, how do I convince my partner that not every broken blender and mystery cable deserves a second chance?—Drowning in Useful Things
Dear Drowning in Useful Things,
There is a special category of person who believes every object is one emergency away from greatness. The cracked flowerpot. The tangled charger. The appliance box large enough to house a family of four. To them, throwing something away feels reckless. To everyone else, it looks like clutter. Now, let us be fair. Many Caribbean people were raised to save things. You never know when a part, a container, or an old sheet may come in handy. That mindset comes from practicality, not madness. But practicality has limits. When the home begins to feel more like a storage unit than a living space, the items are no longer serving you. You are serving them. The solution is not to attack every object like a one-woman cleanup crew. That will only trigger a passionate defense of a 2009 Nokia charger. Instead, set boundaries. Designate specific storage areas. If the designated space is full, something must go before anything new is saved. And when your partner insists an item is essential, ask one simple question: “When did you last use it?” If the answer requires a trip down memory lane, the item may be ready for retirement. Remember, a home should support your life. Not archive every stage of it. And if “that may come in useful” were truly a financial strategy, every garage in Sint Maarten would be worth a fortune.—Queenie
