Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Clutter

I've been trying the Flylady system with some success for a few years now, but I definitely plateau now and then.

I've gotten pretty good at releasing clutter with alacrity. If I've gotten too fat for a 10-year-old shirt, out it goes.* If you bring me some ugly ass hat from your vacation in Mexico, rest assured I'll be sneaking it off to the Goodwill before you've even got your photos developed.

I'm struggling mightily at the moment with the need to let go of a boatload of under-utilized rubber stamping supplies or a 78 RPM record collection that isn't really worth any money and that I don't really listen to. Both require letting go of an image of myself as an artist, as a collector.

The goal is to make room for an iron daybed I scrounged out of the alley.

See that's the harder part: not bringing clutter into the house. Having no money makes that somewhat easier. Lord knows, I'm not out buying antiques or new clothes.

But a "free" day bed is hard to pass up, and dollar stores are the worst. I give stuff to Goodwill, but try not to walk in the front door.

This weekend, I broke my rule and went into Goodwill. Right by the door I spotted this:

It looked like a no-brainer. I did not need a 1980s crochet kit for a ripple afghan. No way in hell did I need this. I hesitated. I looked closer. I turned it over. I looked back at the label.


Turns out it was 100% wool in worsted weight. It was five bucks. It shouted out its possibilities. It won't be an afghan, but it could be a sweater, several vests, hats, scarves, who knows?

It's upstairs right now.

Taking up room where the day bed should go.

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*I highly recommend trying the following. If something doesn't fit, don't say it's too small. Try saying "Oh darn, my boobs are too big." Be sure to say it aloud. You'll feel much better, I promise.

1 comment:

Annie said...

Oh -- lol -- I have to try that one. Hey. Yarn is NOT clutter. Under practically any circumstance. Period. I need to go to Goodwill with you. All I ever come home from there with is kid stuff...