Our casual lifestyle has required some adjustment now that our house is for sale. We have to be “show ready” every day. That means items have to be returned to their “home,” the bed has to be made perfectly, the kitchen counter has to be clear, the pillows on the couch straightened, stray coffee cups in the dishwasher, etc.
I am a visual person so my working materials are scattered around. Now I have to put everything away when we leave the house.
When we put the house on the market, we did major decluttering including giving away many books. I continue to go though our belongings looking for more “stuff” to leave behind. The high quote for moving our “stuff” to Baltimore forced me to reevaluate the importance of what we own.
It has been helpful to read blogs about simplicity. I have been following several blogs using a RSS reader. Here are some of the things I have learned about my stuff.
- unclutter means not only putting stuff away or organizing but getting rid of items that no longer are important or are no longer used. Fortunately, my friend is starting a thrift store called New 2 U in Byron so she is getting most of the stuff. Our church rummage sale reaped the benefit of a good clean out of the kitchen including, the fancy food processor, baking pans, and dishes that will not be used.
- unencumbered for me means not being weighed down with the unnecessary and unwanted. It means events, activities, commitments, besides stuff. There are several people blogging on this topic. Here is an example. http://becomingunencumbered.com/
- understand what is important to keep or give away. I have been influenced by Don Aslett’s book Clutter’s Last Stand: It’s Time to De-Junk Your Life which I read years ago. What stuck in my head is his Genealogy of Junk which traces a “family heirloom” through the generations when it reality is was a thrift store item bought by great grandma. Just because it has sentimental value doesn’t mean you have to keep it. Dan gave his mother and father’s wedding clothes to a North Dakota museum. I scanned in photos from scrapbooks that were turning yellow and had the acid paper. I took photos of coffee mugs from a family reunion. Linen tablecloths purchased in Scotland and Ireland are going to a consignment shop. And the list goes on.