Pursuing a less-cluttered life
Downsizing: It sounds so simple. Step 1: Find a reason that’s motivating (moving to a smaller house or apartment, reconfiguring the use of current space, getting rid of clutter). 2. Drag everything out of closets, drawers, laundry rooms, attics, and basements. 3. Sort into piles for recycling, possible sale, donations, sharing. 4. Get rid of stuff, and learn to love a leaner existence.
But simple isn’t the same as easy. It’s like figuring out how to lose weight: Eating less, exercising more is a simple solution. But it’s not like everybody can do it.
And downsizing can be complicated. There are those that have difficulty letting things go. It gets even dicier when others in the household aren’t keen on getting rid of anything, even when they gamely sign on to the decision to do so. The situation can become tense, even ugly. It’s an excellent time to extend kindness and empathy to someone who becomes unhinged at the idea of dispensing with significant belongings.
There are unique ways of approaching a downsizing project. I was ecstatic when I figured out there is no need to have everyday china and formal china. So I got rid of assorted mismatched plates and glasses and eight place settings of casual Mikasa dishes, bowls and cups. Now I use my grandmother’s delicately painted translucent German porcelain plates (much smaller than modern dishes and less likely to be overfilled), silverplate flatware, and the Waterford crystal I got as a wedding gift for everyday use.
Friends say, “Oh, but I can’t put my china in the dishwasher.” Why not? It’s your china. So what if the colors fade over time? Besides, the dishwasher hasn’t had any effect on my gold-rimmed porcelain plates. They’re holding up nicely to constant use. And they make me feel connected to my long-gone immigrant ancestors.
You say you want to hand your so-called “good” china down to your children? Fine. Do it now and get it out of the house. If they want it, that is. Then you can put that Mikasa to use.
This contrasts with saving scruffy jeans from high school that likely do not fit, worn-out running shoes in the back of the closet, rakes with missing tines, the last scrapings of mascara in a tube so old that it’s impossible to identify its brand, shredded band-logo T-shirts from years ago, musical instruments that don’t work, out-of-date college textbooks, CDs and DVDs that have outlived their entertainment value, and small kitchen appliances that are so splattered and grubby they can’t be made presentable. Out!
Ruthlessness is especially important when a move is in the future. That’s my situation. We’ll be losing about 800 square feet, so not everything we have now will fit the new space.
So we’re drinking our way (with moderation) through the weird collection of alcoholic beverages that travelers have brought us, mostly from eastern European countries with labels printed in languages we don’t understand. Casseroles are being created around long-ignored cans of vegetables, sauces, and condiments (I make a half-hearted effort to look for the “best if used by” date, which is often faded, in which case I use it anyway and hope for the best).
The freezer is slowly emptying, resulting in the discovery of a lonely shrink-wrapped Omaha steak, a beatup ice cream sandwich, an unopened package of what was once a fragrant wedge of Parmesan, and leftover rolls that really ought to be turned into bread crumbs. For birds.
If you opt for downsizing, do it quickly. Drawing it out will result in hauling things back in or eventually accumulating more stuff because you feel sainted for having cleared out space and think you deserve something new.
If you over-purge—which is unlikely—remember that you don’t live on Mars. There are others around. They’ve likely borrowed stuff from you before. So do the same. This is especially useful with tools, gardening gear, and cookware. Not so much with clothing.
Still not convinced? Take the advice of Margareta Magnusson, author of The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Make Your Loved Ones’ Lives Easier and Your On Life More Pleasant.
Don’t let the title put you off. This is a pleasant, friendly advice manual that’s based, according to NBCnews.com, on this practical suggestion: “Visit [your] storage areas and start pulling out what’s there. Who do you think will take care of all that when you are no longer here?”
Life, the author writes, “will become more pleasant and comfortable if we get rid of some of the abundance. Mess is an unnecessary source of irritation.”
Death cleaning, the book reports, “is not about dusting or mopping up; it is about a permanent form of organization that makes your everyday life run more smoothly.” And you just might enjoy rooting around in all those objects assembled over the years. “It is a delight to go through things and remember their worth.”
But don’t get tangled up in sentimentality and forget your goal. Daily life is messy. Don’t let it boss you around. Out!