There is a Time for every season
In 2014 our book club read Stuffocation: Living more with Less by James Wallman. A slim book with a powerful message. While we didn’t feel to go to the minimalist extreme that some have chosen and good on them, it certainly made us realise how much ‘stuff’ we can collect and how we need to cull and declutter, so that ‘stuff’ does not weigh us down and ultimately affect our mental and physical wellbeing.
The way we do life was transformed by a combination of that book and a programme we watched with Marie Kondo, a quiet, Japanese woman who is invited into people’s homes to help them declutter and the difference it makes to their lives. Her simple tips on how to let go, how to fold and organise was revolutionary. Now we rarely need to declutter in the house, because we can see everything we own and don’t end up buying unnecessary items.
Regarding clothing though, have you found that everything can work well together until a favourite item, or often many at the same time, become tired and tatty and need to go? We can’t decide what to wear because nothing seems to work together now. The last time that happened, the thought came to mind ‘capsule’ wardrobe. Another transformation was born as the research on what a capsule wardrobe looked like, revealed how many of those items were already existing in my wardrobe, how they worked together and only one purchase required to make the whole thing come together. Many clothes went to the op shop, while lovely clothes they were not being worn because they didn’t work with what was already there.
As with our final decision on the Stuffocation book, to not go completely minimalist, my wardrobe is not strictly minimal either. However, it is very close to what is suggested and makes decisions about what to wear so much easier. There is also a lot more space in the wardrobe and everything is worn.
Seeds of ideas which become pearls when carried out, have been popping into my mind, helping us do life better. The idea to buy another set of shelves for the garage to house both our camping gear and the equipment required for setting up Freedom and Life twice a month. What an absolute blessing. Then another idea to park the car outside the ‘She Shed’ to transport all the heavy camping gear in one move, drive into the garage and unpack directly onto the shelves.
The clearing out of ‘stuff’ from the 'She shed' was so uplifting. Out came the vacuum cleaner and cloths in a hive of activity to clean, move things around, check my art supplies and equipment as to what needs to be out and what can be put away. The outcome filled me with the most wonderful joy. Now surfaces only have on them what is needed. The furniture is in place and the desk relocated against a wall that was previously stacked up with camping equipment. The feeling of lightness and purpose as the ‘stuff’ left the space and now instead of a storeroom doubling as an art zone, is now truly, a creative space.
Completed paintings rest on easels for their final drying time. A wooden chest being used as a coffee table that doubles as another surface to lay a finished canvas for drying. My desk space is now free, skirted by everything needed to draw and paint, to write and create as the need and desire takes me.
Removal of stuff is so important, isn’t it? It weighs us down, even if it is necessary stuff, it is so much easier to cope with, if there is a purposeful place to store it. A space that makes sense.
This week, I am so grateful for gems of ideas that when actioned, help us make a difference to the way we live, that lightens our hearts and fills us with joy.
