When I retired in 2008, I promised my husband I'd finally get around to cleaning out our "box room." This is a spare bedroom where we stashed excess stuff when we first moved to our house in 1994.
The room is filled with electronics now long outdated, including a turntable and vinyl records. Books languish in boxes because our house doesn't have adequate shelf space, and we've given up on finding a contractor to build some. A decade's worth of National Geographic magazines is stacked against a wall. Boxes of photos, still unlabeled, wait to be displayed in albums. Maps and tour brochures are scattered across the floor with no semblance of organization.
Paintings from my mother, grandmother, and an artist friend lean against each other, hidden from view, because my husband and I can't agree on which ones we should hang--and where. Many need new frames, which can get expensive.
It's now 2021, and I've made little progress on cleaning out the box room. If anything, it's gotten worse, as more unable-to-categorize items have been stockpiled there. This includes a growing TBR mountain of books I've bought from author friends or received free at conferences or from giveaways.
Years ago, I wrote a post on this blog about the high financial cost of clutter. People with too much stuff waste money on storage lockers and moving fees. Not knowing what you own or where to find it when you need it can cause you to make unnecessary purchases. And just looking at a sea of junk and wondering how to pare it down can increase stress, which is detrimental to your health.
I never abandoned the goal to de-clutter, but it seems like something else always took priority. Now I realize I've been going about it all wrong. Instead of trying to find time to tackle such a monumental task, I need to approach it in small bites.
Ten minutes a day, do something to de-clutter. That's my New Year's resolution, and I've written it down to hold myself accountable.
Taking small bites, making small, sustainable changes, is really the best way to achieve any larger goal, whether it's losing weight, writing a novel, getting in shape, or saving for retirement.
What
goals have you set for the New Year, and how do you plan to achieve them? I'd
love to hear your comments.
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ReplyDeleteDone.
DeleteSharon, a big YES! to this. One of my New Year's Resolutions (not yet written down) is to begin reading some of the books I've never read but had on my shelves for decades. I've tried culling them from time to time but I get very few "giveaways" successfully without having read them first. In reviewing my Goodreads 2020 Challenge list, I find that ten of the books I read were ones I owned. And six of those I was able to let go of once I'd read them. So, hooray for that. I'm going to try to increase that number this year, McCullough's Truman will be high on the list (it's a fat book--so, more space once it's gone!).
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your reading challenge. I don't have a hard time giving up books I've already read, but the ones I haven't read yet keep piling up. I hope to make a dent this year!
DeleteI agree with your approach Sharon.. I would imagine you might have some items there that have increased in value, including the turntable now that vinyl is making a comeback. Great start to the year... hugsx
ReplyDeleteSmall bites, that's the key. Trying to do it all at once is so discouraging!
ReplyDeleteI love this post, Sharon. I have a feeling your box room looks like the office/den in our house. What a mess. It's a great idea to take just 10 minutes a day to clear out a little bit of clutter, so I think I'm going to join you in this quest. And it's not just that room--it's other rooms, too. I'm in! Happy New Year to you.
ReplyDeleteYes, I have clutter all over my house. Started the other day with the top of my desk. Today the in-basket! Best of luck in your endeavor!
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