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Thursday, August 21, 2008

Welcome


You've arrived at my fledgling blog. It's not really launched yet but I had to publish it so I could try out ideas. If it seems to have promise then I'll keep it. Otherwise, it will be a short-lived experiment.

My intention is to create a space that will help me to make sense of my paralysis in dealing with the clutter that has accumulated in my life. Not junk -- the junk is gone -- but meaningful things, meaningful-to-others things, crowd our small house. Things that belonged to my grandparents, to my mother. Some endearingly lovely and loving items to keep. Also, many endearingly lovely and loving items to sell, donate, and -- yes, to toss. They are things I no longer want, even writing about them is clutter.

So I'm changing the famous line from Field of Dreams to suit my goal for this blog relative to these unwanted things: if I build it they will go.



To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not, rich; to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart; to study hard; to think quietly, act frankly, talk gently, await occasions, hurry never; in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common--this is my symphony.

-William Henry Channing




8 comments:

Ian France said...

Sounds like a great idea, I'll keep updated.

P.S.
love the header

Lydia said...

Wow, Arnold, I was so surprised to find your comment here (the first for this blog!) My dashboard at Blogger doesn't indicate any comments, so you've clued me into hunting around to find out why. In a calm, uncluttered-state-of-mind-kind-of- hunt. :)

Wayfaring Wanderer said...

I used to be the biggest pack rat....I could never let anything go........that was until I moved to the mountains and could only take what would fit in my car....everything else was given away to my Mom and Sister.

It's not an easy thing to do.....

Now, I deal with Cody not wanting to throw things away.....it amazes me that things stay packed away, never seeing the light of day.....for what? Is there a purpose it serves collecting dust? I hassle him all the time about donating, selling, or doing something! with all of his stuff....he's stubborn :)

Once I learned that I didn't need all of those things, it allowed me to be content with what I have.....I rarely purchase things for the hell of it now.....although, I have managed to acquire quite a bit since my move to the mountains......it would have to be re-reduced back down to a car load!

Lydia said...

WW,
Now that's the spirit behind this blog! You inspire me.

My own possessions, aside from too many clothes, were fairly minimal. I've never liked clutter. This barrage of stuff came to me when my mother died and I've had this psychological thing going on, weighing a feeling of guilt in wanting to get rid of it against the old sentimentality. And the clothes? I so rarely shop anymore, since leaving office work. I gave away all the darned shoes and now have to work at whittling away the rest. I mean, will I ever really wear a suit again? :)

dianasfaria.com said...

I don't seem to have trouble giving away things I have acquired, but I find it difficult to get rid of things others have given me with the intention of me sort of safeguarding them or keeping it in the "family" -though I get better every year cleaning things out.
I heard a method where if you bring one new thing inside the house, then you have to get rid of something you already have.
Love your birdcage. the colors are beautiful.

Lydia said...

Lily,
You have hit the problem right on the head. It really IS the idea of safeguarding that has trapped me. Even the word "safeguarding" is an opening for me! I'm going to give it thought tomorrow.
I'm glad you love the birdcage and colors too. I get so much joy looking at the header that right now it's the main reason why I want this blog to survive! :)

Suzanne said...

Lydia: Congratulations on beginning your own 365 Days of Decluttering Challenge!

I hope that as the days go by, you feel the realization that most of us have felt...that there is a difference between choosing what you own (i.e. clutter) and feeling owned by it.

At that time, the progress you've made in evicting the clutter from your life plus the new perspective will make you feel amazing and make decluttering the next several things so much easier! Believe me. ;-)

Lydia said...

Suzanne,
You are an inspiration to me, and I appreciate your positive attitude so much. I hope that after you complete your own 365 days of decluttering you will still hang around to coach the people who have signed on later!

I love that verb "evicting" in relation to my clutter. Perfect.