I profess the desire to declutter, yet a shelf full of books on the subject has fallen short. Not to be deterred, I added another: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.
I’d watched an episode of Marie Kondo’s series, and I was curious to know more. However, the concept of piling every single item, from every drawer and closet, onto a bed? After living in the same house for 30 years, this strikes me as nothing short of dangerous!
Feng Shui importuned me to remove the boxes from under that same bed years ago. Perhaps my resistance to this mandate truly did block energy flow, and I have that to blame for the stubborn piles that lurk behind closed doors. What doesn’t fit there goes into laundry baskets.
I admit this, and I am not ashamed.
It’s not that I am so attached to my stuff that I can’t let it go. Well, maybe I’m a little attached. This is why my granddaughter gets to play with her mother’s and uncles’ childhood toys.
I have more boxes of toys labeled “for future grandchildren.” Clothes, too. And you know what? It sparks joy in me to see these used today.
Conversely, it causes me personal angst to part with perfectly good items that could be used by someone else, or in some other way. In a few words, I suffer from a light case of Recycling Anxiety. I made that up, but it feels just right.
When we sold a vacation home a few years ago, I steadfastly refused to send items to a landfill. It took many weeks to either sell, donate or relocate the contents of that house. My back was against the wall, but when it was over, I felt gratified.
I get that same feeling from two solid days of cooking holiday meals for my family. There are many things that spark joy.
For me, moderation may be one of them. (c)
