Shedding Things

On January 2, I am turning my mind to things I can let go of. I have read Marie Kondo’s books, and watched her Netflix show. Some of those things made a lot of sense to me (keep the things that spark joy, thank the unwanted things for their service and let them go). I grew up in a household where we didn’t have much money and we moved often; things got lost or broken during moves, or got packed into long-term storage so we didn’t have them when we needed them. My mom came from a poor farming family, born during the Depression in Alberta, where you hung onto things for seven years in case you needed them, and then another seven years just in case. On top of that, I have my own environmental ethos (repair, re-use, repurpose) and a rich and active hobby life. Those things combined to make me reluctant to get rid of things I didn’t like, didn’t really need, or thought I could use later, because you never know when something will come in handy.

Over time, I have learned to keep a small laundry basket in my bedroom. When I decide something can be donated, it goes into the basket. Once it touches the basket, it can’t come out, so I need to be sure I am ready to let it go (that rule works surprisingly well). When the basket is full, everything gets bundled up for donation to the local charity shop. But that still just a drop in my “stuff” bucket.

Having Marie Kondo’d my sweater drawers last summer, I am starting to notice patterns about what I don’t wear, what I don’t like, and what really needs to be retired because it is just too sad (little stains, worn cuffs). Same for the kitchen drawer with dishcloths and tea towels. My mom actually gave me new tea towels last year so I could get rid of the worst of mine. I didn’t, and just found her gift again.

After that, I want to tackle the fabric hoard. I am now reaching the point of diminishing returns on work clothes. If I sewed up all the work pants I have planned, I would have pants for my retirement and well beyond. We will not discuss the tops, the dresses, or the costume things for my hobby...

There are many ways to tackle this challenge. Marie Kondo’s is just one technique. Others suggest starting with a single drawer, or the thing that bugs you most. A friend gets rid of one thing a day, no matter how small. I love that idea and used it one year to get rid of hundreds of things. I’ll probably do a bit of each. So far, a damaged coat hangar, two sweaters and a pair of skates are gone or on their way out the door. I have also started the process of getting rid of an unused toilet (given to me for a bathroom I never use and want to turn into a storage room instead), a door and sink for the cottage project that won’t happen for years, if ever, and my son’s old snowboard and boots.



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shedding junk in my work space

Image
I probably shouldn’t use my bedroom as my workspace, but it is big, with two large windows and a little balcony. Plus, I share the open-concept main floor with my daughter, who is doing her university courses on-line, so we often need to be in different areas to be able to concentrate to conversations on our computers. My bedroom is also my favourite crafting space, and it is where we store things that need to go to the charity shop, So it can get pretty junky if I’m not disciplined (and frequently I am not - have you ever met a crafter who didn’t have a stash or two of yarn, fabric, or whatever?). Today, though, I made a serious effort to deal with both my bedroom and my back-up work space, the kitchen. I took down my old curtains and hardware an installed a new rod and curtains that have been sitting in the bedroom since I bought them before Christmas. Now the stepladder, the curtains, miscellaneous screwdrivers, and the storage bags can go away, while the old curtains and hardwa
Read more

The COVID-19 new normal?

Image
I went to my second-last swim practice for a while. There was more social distancing than usual as we didn’t all crowd into the showers afterwards - opting instead to wait our turn while talking about measures being taken in our workplaces. That’s when you realize just how complicated running an economy can be. One colleague works in government procurement so her office is scrambling to acquire everything from medical equipment to additional secure bandwidth so employees across the country can work from home. Friends from the barn where Fancy lives have posted that there are lots more walkers on the streets and hiking trails. It appears that families are looking for things to do that allow social distancing while getting some exercise, especially for the kids. The introvert on the hiking trails found it a little crowded for her comfort, but the extrovert said the neighbourhood felt much friendlier than usual as everyone passed greetings as they walked. Local media are even starting t
Read more

The World Without Us - Thoughts for Earth Day

Image
I walked down the street to get take-out food tonight for the Wednesday Canadian Kitchen Party in support of Canadian restaurants (it’s happening again next week on Facebook, with some well-known Canadian musicians - join if you can). It was at the end of what would normally be rush hour, and it was eerie. There were few cars and fewer pedestrians. I could hear leaves rustling along the street, papers flapping on a construction site and even the sounds of bicycle chains against the gears as cyclists went by. There were lots of bird songs on a street where birds are rarely heard (though over the years I have spotted a woodpecker and a sharpshinned hawk). The sky was clear. It got me thinking about The World Without Us, by Alan Weisman. It’s a frightening but beautiful exploration of the earth’s recuperative powers after various disasters that take humans out of the equation. As I work towards next steps for my own staff, and for development assistance programming in hard-hit countries
Read more