Saturday, December 12, 2015
Clutter Master
I am quite unable to part with things that have some personal meaning for me. For example: I have this little ash tray on my bookshelf (way overloaded with books). A dear friend gave this ashtray to me after she visited NYC and got it at the Cafe Un,Deux,Trois in the Village. Since I no longer smoke, it's now loaded with tiny bits of sea glass that I harvested in Capri a number of years ago, plus a wee scallop shell from the same place, half a lovely geode (gift from one of my kids), a tiny feather whose provenance I can no longer remember--safe to toss that!!--a button belonging to a sweater I still have (still useful, can sew it on today, in fact!), and a small red ceramic bird whistle from Brazil given to me by a lovely Brazilleira. Multiply this kind of acquisitiveness by many years, and you get the picture. Clutter City. Must do better. Sally gave me a book two Christmases ago: THE LIFE-CHANGING MAGIC OF TIDYING UP by Marie Kondo. I haven't worked through everything (anything) the author suggests, but I am getting there. Kondo asks, regarding the inability to discard things: is this attachment to the past? or anxiety about the future? Both, I'd say. She says, "Life becomes far easier once you know that things will work out even if you are lacking something."
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Congratulations on taking action, Joared! It is far too easy to read and ignore.
ReplyDeleteOh, how I can relate to the propensity to accumulate! I just threw a bunch of stuff away out of my den/den closet - much less clutter. However, I'm not through! I vow to go through each box in the closet to see what else can be dispatched. BTW: I still have a small ashtray that my beloved late mother-in-law (non-smoker) had - with the few pennies and her thimble that are in it. It is in one of those previously-mentioned boxes.
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Well...Congratulations, XE!!!! You can tell whose blog I had just clicked off of. Please forgive me.
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??? Joared's?? I am not good at this, you know. And of course I forgive you, though I don't know what needs forgiveness. Sunday, and I'm having two sugars in my coffee. tsk. It's like spring here, they say, but spring is usually colder than this. Not even winter yet, and we're stewing about the weather....
DeleteJoared (as in Jo-a-redhead) is another blog friend with whom I had thought you were acquainted. I'm sure this is not the first time I've commented to one of you thinking that I was on the other's blog. See how confused I get??
DeleteOur roses have sent out new leaves and other deciduous bushes have buds that look close to opening. Our plants have become so confused by the weather of the past few years that their strength is being sapped.
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I need a serious stuff-reduction initiative right about now, before the holidays. I often replace the word "clutter" with "baggage" and that helps me to shift perspective somewhat. That said, your former ashtray of sea glass and shells sounds charming. I'd keep that :)
ReplyDeleteI need a serious stuff-reduction initiative right about now, before the holidays. I often replace the word "clutter" with "baggage" and that helps me to shift perspective somewhat. That said, your former ashtray of sea glass and shells sounds charming. I'd keep that :)
ReplyDeleteJoared here, just to dispel any possible confusion -- as if there isn't enough already! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI definitely have issues affixing personal feelings to objects which prevents me from parting with some possessions. I think I even understand why I tend to do this with some items, but it doesn't seem to make it any easier to get rid of them. For example, I have two small vases of artificial flowers that my mother had that I continue to keep. When I'm gone, whoever cleans out my place will probably say, based on the flowers looks, "Why on earth did she keep these?"
Oops! Meant to add: Wish you a Merry Christmas!
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