Monday, February 09, 2009

Phenomenal


After having written such a phenomenal post yesterday morning, I can now only write a humble little post, because time limits me and, of course, we have that thing called inspiration and I haven't looked yet to see if I have any. I was busy on Facebook and becoming a bit frustrated with things there that did not go the way I wanted them to. Aren't there always bugs in the system that you want to iron out and for which you know there should be an easy solution? Hmmm, ironed out bugs, now that would be a treat! Nice and crispy or steamed?

It figures that on the day that I have to go somewhere, I don't sleep late and wake up two hours before the alarm clock is supposed to go off. I'm not complaining about that, au contraire, it is kind of convenient, because it allows me some time to sit here and get my daily dose of caffeine in before the real work starts. Writing a post is a good way to start the day also, because it helps me set the tone of the day and helps me decide how feisty I will be.

Last week I had forgotten to put out the trash, so last night I put out two trash bags, plus the green container which is always filled with coffee pads, there is hardly ever any vegetable matter in it or any garden waste. The trash bags are large and I walk around the apartment and look for junk that can go to fill up the bag completely. That way I get a cleaner apartment and a fuller trash bag. Slowly but surely I want to get rid of all obsolete items in all the drawers and bookcases so that there is a minimum amount of junk I have to live with. It's my goal in life to be junk free by next year. Hurray!

You forget that when you live by yourself, you are in charge of that, you alone decide what you keep and what is purely junk that is laying around doing nothing but gathering dust and taking up space. It is a very liberating thought once it hits you. I have to keep reminding myself that I am entitled to do this. That I am the mistress over all that is here.

I have never been my own mistress. I have always been somebody's child or girlfriend or wife. I have been somebody's wife for a very long time. Twice. I liked none of those roles as much as I like being my own mistress, but I never would have believed it if you had said it to me a year ago. I would have shuddered at the thought.

So, anyway, I have a dresser with 7 drawers and it has been cleaned out now several times and things have been taken out and thrown away, but still there are items in there that are taking up space and that are completely useless, so I know that I will have another look through all the drawers and toss away more things.

I try not to be sentimental about things and hold on to them for emotional reasons, I dislike that very much. but I do keep some items for their remembrance factor. However, there only need to be a few things of the person I want to remember, or of an era I want to remember. I don't need loads of memorabilia. If I can fit it into one small box, then that's okay with me.

Look at me, of on a tangent, all because of the notion of trash. That's because for the last 37 years, I have lived with people who were hoarders and who never threw anything away. Everything was sacred, even the tiniest little incomprehensible part of whatever it had originally belonged to. If, on top of that, you spend a lot of that time being depressed, the volume of it becomes incomprehensible to you too and you can't see the forest for the trees. You take it as a given that you are surrounded by all these objects and you think it somehow has value and that it is necessary to the survival of the household.

Well, you can imagine that I am now going to live the stripped down version of that. I'd like to be like a turtle and carry my house on my back.

I also see on the clock that I need to get going, because I have creative therapy this morning.

So I wish you all a very good day.

Ciao...

7 comments:

Breakfast in California said...

I hope you made something interesting at creative therapy. I think one of the assets of travel is not being burdened down with stuff. It's amazing what we can live without for a few weeks. The more we travel, the less we take with us. If it doesn't fit in carry-on, it doesn't go.

Bev said...

I think it is very therapeutic and cleansing to clean out a house and leave just the things you really want or need.

My friend Sally has a friend called Dale who lived in a very minimalist house with just a few ornaments and flower arrangements. She even had a bed which was on the floor, except it wasn't just a mattress, a proper bed. Very oriental and Zen Buddhist-like, and made for a very calm peaceful atmosphere. She had being going through major upheavals in her life so her house was a kind of oasis.

lebanesa said...

I envy you that chance to throw everything away.
We have rubbish everywhere. But one man's rubbish is another man's 'might come in useful'.
Not helped by the fact that people regularly leave things here when they stay with us. Then when they come back they don't recognise their socks/ jacket/pyjamas/books - as we often have a lot of people here we can't be sure whose things they are. But you can be sure that if you throw anything away, you will get a phonecall or a message saying 'Oops, I remember that - could you send it? It isn't mine, I borrowed it... or some such!'

Maggie May said...

This is my second attempt to comment on your blog. I got lots of interruptions this morning!

I am a bit of a hoarder but am taking things in hand & trying to recycle the things I don't need. I wouldn't throw anything into the rubbish bin that could be recycled!
Things that I do get rid of are often things I regret later, as a use often crops up or someone needs what I have thrown out.
However it is depressing to live in a clutter & I am going to turn over a new leaf and start to get rid of stuff right away! Thanks for inspiring me LOL!

Wisewebwoman said...

I was purging again out of the locker a few weeks ago, Irene and was amazed I had five bags for Goodwill, this was the stuff I couldn't part with less than 2 years ago. Time and distance really helps. good for you, clearing out, the simpler our life the more contented we are. You are growing in leaps and bounds, my dear.
There is an award for you over at my place.
XO
WWW

Babaloo said...

Junk free by next year? I applaud you. I'm terrible at throwing things out. I wouldn't call myself a hoarder but I don't find it easy to let go of things. I admire people who can do this, though.

Hope you had a good Monday!

John M. Mora said...

i.hoard