We've decluttered, fengshui'd, Gotten Things Done (and some of that actually works, but not for "stuff"), Fly Ladied...
...and we're still drowning in a sea of stuff that we never use, clothes we never wear, unitasking kitchen gear (and d'oh neither one of us actually cooks), and other stuff we don't part with.
Why?
Someone Might Need It. It's Perfectly Good. When I Fix It, It Will Be Useful. It Was A Gift From (fill in the blank). It Belonged To (add name of dead relative). I Forgot That I Had It/Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind. Someday It Will Be Fashionable Again.
(OK, that last one was apparently true with black leggings...but I digress.)
Meditation is the practice of letting go, over and over again. As a meditator since some time in the late 90s, and a yoga student before that, I recently had an aha moment.
The only way to develop a meditation practice is to actually practice. 15 minutes a day is a different experience than an 8 hour workshop. Over a course of a year, 15 minutes a day builds 90 hours of experience (about what you might do at a 10 day retreat). But you've also built a new behavioral muscle...
No "aha" for me here, on the topic of meditating.
A weekend long closet purge may be beneficial, useful, or necessary.
The "aha": can what's taught about practice, about letting go of the breath, thoughts, etc. have a more worldly application? What's the transformative possibility of letting go of something material, every day, day in and day out?
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We're sisters recovering from our propensity to accumulate stuff. Self help and organizing methods have worked...uh, not so much. Instead, we've decided to get rid of one thing a day, every day, until the end of 2010. Join us!
The Rules
One thing a day. It counts only when it leaves the house.
We'll report on origin, how long we've had it, usage, where it is going, and why we've held onto it.
Click here for more on The Rules, which are arbitrary and subject to change without notice!
Oh, yeah: sense of humor and kindness are both essential.
We'll report on origin, how long we've had it, usage, where it is going, and why we've held onto it.
Click here for more on The Rules, which are arbitrary and subject to change without notice!
Oh, yeah: sense of humor and kindness are both essential.
The Reasons
Someone Might Need It.
It's Perfectly Good.
It Might Be Useful.
I Might Fix It (and it will be useful).
It Was A Gift From (fill in the blank).
It Belonged To (add name of dead relative).
I Forgot That I Had It/Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind.
Someday, It Will Be Fashionable Again.
It Will Fit Me Again Someday.
Free-Floating Guilt.
Nostalgia.
It's Worth Money, If Only I Had A Buyer!
It Was Free.
Should Have Said "No."
Good Crafting Intentions Gone Bad.
AAArrrgghhh!
It's Perfectly Good.
It Might Be Useful.
I Might Fix It (and it will be useful).
It Was A Gift From (fill in the blank).
It Belonged To (add name of dead relative).
I Forgot That I Had It/Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind.
Someday, It Will Be Fashionable Again.
It Will Fit Me Again Someday.
Free-Floating Guilt.
Nostalgia.
It's Worth Money, If Only I Had A Buyer!
It Was Free.
Should Have Said "No."
Good Crafting Intentions Gone Bad.
AAArrrgghhh!
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Join The Team!
If you want to join in our madness -- or slow ascent to sanity, as the case may be -- post your photos and stories about stuff to our Flickr group. We'll repost some of them here!
Click this link to join our Flickr group
Click this link to join our Flickr group