Never Ending Clutter

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Image by TheDigitalArtist on Pixabay

Those who know me may find this hard to believe but at heart I am a minimalist.

An item on the radio recently, therefore, resonated with me when it suggested that decluttering is the buzz word for 2019. There was even a hypothesis that, in these days of political confusion and upset, by decluttering and organising our homes we are actively seeking order in a world gone mad .

Apparently there are professionals who make a living out of tidying other people's jumble for them. Of course, I'd heard of Marie Kondo but I never realised I could actually call somebody to take over and run this mammoth task for me. Except, of course, I never would. Much as I might need their help, my shame would never permit them over our threshold.

Global confusion aside, the biggest stimulus for an enormous clearing out spree on my part is always the level of the sun at this time of year. When it streams through dirty windows highlighting junk and dust, the urge to tackle the issue builds.

Every year in retirement, February to June seem to have been spent earnestly reducing unnecessary stuff whilst the rest of the year is devoted, at best, to simply thinking about doing so and, at worst, to accumulating more. We do try to limit our purchases to essential items (retirement frugality and all) but our difficulty always lies in getting rid of the worn-out items any new purchases replace and for which there may just be another use, if only we can hold onto them for long enough. 

I guess nobody ever claimed that Reduce, Re-use, Recycle would be easy if you embrace the re-use mentality too firmly. Fortunately our annual Spring Clean is a genuine attempt to redress the balance. It's become part of retirement living for us and whilst we've accepted it's going to be a long process we haven't dismissed ourselves as completely hopeless cases yet. I have even promised myself that one Spring Day, we shall get there.


Comments

Stephanie Jane said…
It's Murphy's Law isn't it? The day after you get rid of something apparently useless, its true purpose will be revealed and you'll have to go and buy another.
Or Freegle one!
3 March 2019 at 18:02
Caree Risover said…
Always the same, hang onto something for years, finally decide it is of neither use nor ornament so we throw it. The following month we spend hours searching for it, unable to believe that we really jettisoned it.
10 March 2019 at 23:10
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