The Simple Life


Hey there, sorry I haven't been around for awhile. I'd ask you in for tea, but unpacking has been very slow going. Frankly, I am quite tempted to just take the boxes directly to the recycling centre - Do Not Unpack, Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200. It's either that or a big yard sale. We'll throw in a tour of the Dome for anyone who spends over twenty bucks.

Moving always brings me uncomfortably face-to-face with my stuff. No matter how much I try to downsize, there I am, trying to find places to put crap (which was considered, before the move, to be valuable art supplies). Do I seriously think I will get back into silkscreening after 25 years away from it? Would my life be changed in any way by getting rid of this box of squeegees, or that carton of doll-making supplies, or this veritable crate of small bits of cloth that might be useful some day?

At this point I would happily join some sort of benign cult that only allowed me to own a bowl, a spoon, and a muumuu. I could then spend the rest of my life clearing out the mental vaults, which, believe me, are far more cluttered and cobwebbed than any house I have ever lived in.

Blissful as that sounds, I fear that I am not quite ready to let go. But I do realize that sometime in every move, there is a point where I must confront the gap between who I imagine I might be, and reality. There may be a few tears, but this time, for sure, I will accept the limitations of both my [storage] space and my [days left on this earthly realm x number of projects hoped to accomplish] time.

And I will whittle away at the stuff until I am left with one bowl, one spoon, and maybe just one tiny basket of sewing materials that can easily be hidden under the muumuu.
 

Comments

  1. Don't think I could quite get down to the bowl, the spoon and the muumuu! However, I feel your pain, Heather! I'm eyeing some of my craft supplies around here that I may have "grown out of" thinking thoughts of how to pass it on to someone who will use it. Unfortunately the minute I do, I just know I'll find a sudden need for whatever it was I just got rid of! Good thing I haven't had to move in 36 years, huh?

    I'm sure your stuff will find its place - somewhere. Happy unpacking!

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  2. I haven't moved, but our son and his 2 girls did move out, of our house. With that, I am finding all sorts of this to let go of. I have a pretty good idea of what I would like to work on and the rest can just be gone! And I am not keeping things in case the girls come over...they can make do with pencil and paper, if I still have that!

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  3. Anonymous9:00 PM

    oh, Heather - you've seen my space, I try honest I do but all that stuff might come in handy!! That's why I don't move. Just the thought gives me the shakes. And all that stuff keeps me awake at night. What to do?? Hugs, hope you find the answer.

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  4. I hear ya....letting go of sh#t feels so good....very rarely have I regretted it either...even though at the time I think I will...

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  5. Oh I love this post. I am not moving, but in re-doing every room of the house, I have been forced to go through every bit of my stuff. And the storage shed--ack. Time to let go of more--thanks for this writing!

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  6. All I can say is I hear you and I laugh and cry along with you.

    The limits of our time on earth should be enough to make us really consider what we should spend our creative time on next.

    But...why don't we?
    Answer? It's the next project that keeps us going. That makes us feel that we have all the time in the world.

    best xx

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