The Pleasures of Simplification

So the kitchen reno project is (hopefully) coming to an end--this is the end of week 5 and the kitchen is functioning with little bits still to be done.  And all the art/decorating decisions to come!  Anyway, this week has been about the Reload.  It turns out, of course, that doing this requires a complete rethink about what goes in the kitchen--just like a move really--and that of course means finding places for things in other rooms and that of course means cleaning closets!  I have now cleaned ALL my closets, and it feels great!

In this process, I was really confronted (again) with how much I have been a hoarder/archivist, and even worse, how I have been keeping things "just in case" that have never been useful or beautiful and will likely never be either.  Kept because well, I ought to, or a family member gave them to me, or whatever.  I also realized that all these decades of working put me on the back burner, and having closets that were chaotic messes kept me stressed and always feeling that I wasn't doing enough. 

SO, rethinking everything.  Taking everything  out (as recommended by Marie Kondo in The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up), putting like with like, only keeping what I actually like/can use now.  Separating things in prime real estate from things in (reasonable) inventory--like big packs of paper towels now on the basement shelves.  It feels so awesome!  Like a whole new house!

This would be a good time to link to some favorite blogs and other resources on decluttering and simplification:

Becoming Minimalist

Zen Habits

Slow Your Home

Clutter Busting with Brooks Palmer

My bookshelf on decluttering, simplification and other good stuff

I've done a lot of reading, but I didn't really understand the amazing benefits and emotional clarity until I Did The Work!