Stack and Slide
Moving from 2000 square feet to 1000 has been both annoying and rewarding at the same time. Being the ‘queen of stuff’ as my soul sister affectionately calls me, I have accumulated much more than anyone could ever need or use in an entire lifetime. Imagine cleaning out your parent’s attic, or your own for that matter, multiplied by millions.
I find myself doing a lot of stacking and sliding; a system I have used for years but not as carefully and consciously as I do now. My closets and cupboards resemble a slide puzzle of sorts, and while it can be inconvenient having to move one thing to access another, it has made me much more aware of what I have, what I need, and what I can live without.
I still remember my mom trying to teach me the difference between wants and needs when I was a teenager insisting that I needed Nike’s and Levi’s. She agreed that shoes and jeans were warranted, but particular brand names were not. Now I find that designers are not the distinguishing factor, as much as actual daily use and storage space required. Realizing that I do not really need a dozen pairs of black socks, ten turquoise tank tops or several dozen pairs of panties has freed me up to part with things I should have shed long ago. I am sure some of my shoes qualify too, but I am not going there yet.
Purging is not only practical, it can be cleansing as well. I love letting go of things I no longer need. Consigning a few favorites to earn a little chump change, and donating things I know someone will be just as thrilled to find at the thrift store as I was, is empowering and fun.
Transparent plastic bins with lids are my new best friends. I can stack them (another preventive measure to keep them from overflowing) and I can see what is in each one with a glance.
Yes, I find myself shuffling and sliding them consistently and consider this part of my new workout routine since my beloved YMCA is no longer three miles away. Seems things take more effort, planning and organization these days; all important attributes I advocate but have not always embraced on my own.
This experience made me realize (and appreciate) the fact that I have not moved much over the course of my life; the last time being over two decades ago. I’m sure you are well aware of how easy it is to accumulate too much stuff.
We stack our schedules and slide appointments and commitments continuously too. I challenge you to be more conscious regarding how you do this; how do you decide what to keep and discard, and how sensitive are you to the transparency of your bins?
