A Keen Slate

Yes, even for a seasoned declutterer like me. This might seem strange, but I have decluttered regularly since I was a child. When I felt too overwhelmed by the toys in my room, I would ask my mom to take me to the thrift store a few towns away and donate a bagful or two. As a teenager, I kept my room neat and carefully curated with only my favorite items on display. I remember both strategies creating a big sense of accomplishment and relief.  But in 2019 I began decluttering in earnest. With the three of us living in small space amidst an explosion of baby items, clothes, and toys, I knew something had to change. I was grateful for the things my daughter needed and enjoyed, but the rest of the stuff weighed on me. A lot.  Fast forward to summer 2022. It was time for our big move to NC, and I decluttered like I never had before. Still, as I wrote in a previous post , everything felt like too much ... and that I had not done enough.  2022 was a year of intense upheaval, much of it painf

Last week I completed my first 2023 donation roundup. After several weeks of going through our closets and totes in the garage, I filled a total of seven boxes! This is the biggest set of donations since moving to NC in July of 2022, which I consider a pretty big win.   Upon arriving in NC I learned that the Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA), despite having thrift shop, do not pick up donations here. Since the VVA had been my go-to for donation pickup since 2019, this was disappointing.  Of course, I say this knowing the risk of sounding incredibly spoiled and lazy (Why can't I just drop off the donations myself?!). You're right, I can. But I have my reasons: 1) When my daughter was really young I've had the experience of taking what little 'free time' I had to load everything up and drive to Goodwill, only to be told they're full and not accepting donations. Talk about disappointment! In my experience, pickups will only happen if the organization has the space,

Since starting my decluttering journey in 2019 I've gotten rid of a lot of stuff. As I decluttered I saw progress, because stuff was no longer under foot or falling out of cupboards on my head. Our 1,125 sq. ft. townhome seemed like it was no longer overrun with stuff. It felt pretty peaceful, actually.  Then there were the closets. Two of them, full of stuff, lurking. One contained mostly seasonal decorations, but also stored our off-season tires. Yes, TIRES. I had sealed them in the largest bags available so they didn't smell, but they took up precious space. I was so glad when, before our move, we posted them for free on Marketplace and a nice gentleman with an eastern European accent came by and somehow loaded them all into his Prius.  Then there was the other closet. About a year before our move to NC, I was about to began another iteration of Uncluttered (Joshua Becker's room by room decluttering course). My goal was to declutter that closet, which contained ... jus

Recently I participated in an online workshop that focused on how clutter effects our energy. The hour-long session included a guided meditation, breath work, and setting affirmations. Although it might initially sound 'woo woo', the approach was actually quite practical.  Our workshop guide was Jane Hogan, a design engineer by trade who has been exploring the mind-body connection since being diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2016. Her aim is to implement a scientific approach to unite the body, breath, and mind  to help people dealing with chronic pain and autoimmune disorders. To learn more, check out thewellnessengineer.com . Concomitant with the meditation session, Jane offered this profundity: " Clutter is the accumulation of energy that is no longer flowing. " It's so true. For all of us who've been there, we know how stifling clutter can be, how it can make things feel stagnant. The inertia that unaddressed clutter creates is heavy , which is prob

Lately my general response when I open boxes that have been packed away for years is, "Oh my gosh ... I had completely forgotten about this!/I still have this?!/I thought I donated this?!" Which, based on my reaction, likely means that the item/s were not so valuable (if not completely vexing) to me. Despite the feelings of overwhelm they incite, it also means that sorting through it all is probably a good thing.     Yet, there are those relatively rare moments when a long-lost item does, as Marie Kondo would put it, "spark joy". Over a decade ago, I visited an antique store in Zionsville, IN, with my sister, nephew, and my parents. There I found a whole trunk full of black and white celebrity photos , probably from old magazines, that some meticulous soul had taken the trouble to laminate. Since many of the images were gorgeous and so reasonably priced, I (a broke graduate student at the time) couldn't resist. I was most attracted to photos of glamorous actress

With the 25th being my next donation pick up day, it's go time! This past weekend I worked at the  decluttering station  in my garage and packed up four boxes of stuff. I also took pictures of items I will attempt to sell on my neighborhood facebook group. Like I said, no obligation or urgency here, whatever sells, does, and whatever doesn't will be donated or posted for free.   Although I've been feeling really good about my progress, sometimes this mean voice pops up and makes me feel like all my efforts are just weak sauce, and nowhere near enough.  When this happens, I need to remember that this is where mindfulness can work its magic. I mean, it's not really magic , but more about being truthful, acknowledging. And I have to acknowledge that I have come a long way. That is a fact, mean voice or no.   So, it's time to take a deep breath, and deal with the stuff (and the emotions that accompany it) moment by moment. Because that's the only place where progres

Well ... perhaps 'love' is in this case too strong a word. But I do like it. Either way, this subject has been debated to death, and is something that most people are not going to change their opinion about. In regards to laundry, there are (probably) four kinds of people: 1) Everyday task masters 2) Once-a-week warriors  3) The we-need-clean-underwear-now crowd (hey, no judgement here!)   4) Laundry? What's that? I'll just buy new clothes ... lol Obviously, these categories have a completely plausible scientific basis. Maybe. Okay, not really. But in my defense, I have met people who fall into each of these categories. In our previous residence I did have laundry 'day...s': Wednesday was sheets and towels and Thursday for washing my and my daughter's clothes. The main reason for not completing everything in one day was that our dryer was terrible . It usually took two hours for a load of clothes, three for towels - yikes! After we moved (and had access to

In her groundbreaking book " The life-changing magic of tidying up " Marie Kondo poses some unusual, perhaps even outlandish, questions and ideas. In a discussion that meandered into describing inanimate objects as if they had feelings and aspirations, one such proposal is emptying one's purse at the end of each day.  Um, say what now?  I was incredulous. When I already have so much to do, how exactly is doing this supposed to help me? As Marie went on about how the purse was tired from a long day of carrying a full load of heavy objects, my skepticism deepened. So .... I should take the time to empty my purse each day because it ... has feelings ? Riiiiiiiight. But then I thought about it a little more. I thought about my purse. Although usually not overly full, it could be kind of a problem. Stuff gets lost in there. If you carry a purse or any kind of bag, I know that you know exactly what I mean. Loose change? Mints? Grocery lists? An old Cliff bar? A full-sized wate

Talk about a 'clean slate'! I love my Christmas decor, but it always feels good to pack everything away again once the season is over. I (kind of) timed myself today as I placed items in their respective boxes. From the first ornament off the tree to packing and closing up the plastic bin, it took about an hour and a half. I mentioned before that we don't have a lot of Christmas stuff, and it makes me happy that everything (with the exception of outdoor lights) fits in one box.  The South Indian harvest festival Pongal is happening over the next few days, so for now I have changed the decor to feature Indian textiles. Then, it will be time to decorate for Valentine's Day 💖 How does it feel for you when you put away Christmas/holiday decor? Sad? Wistful? Relieved? If you've found a way to streamline the process, please share in the comments!  Decor featuring Indian textiles Some new Christmas items I bought a couple days ago. The box is full now, so next year it w