Living a simple life and getting by with fewer things is a new concept. Since retiring from corporate life, clothing has gradually become a matter of function over style or glamour. My winter necessities equal seven to ten, functional, plain items and I wear only white t-shirts and jeans in summer. For transitional seasons, I layer items. Being quarantined ended my volunteering as a watercolor teacher, so preparing lessons, assembling materials and providing visual aids in the classroom aren’t considerations any longer. Shapely vases, jars, containers, baskets and every known variety of silk flower all take up a lot of space.
I believe the minute a thing is gone, you will suddenly, desperately, need it. It takes time to truly adjust to change, so, I’ve not thrown away much---or, to be honest, anything. I will never again be a hostess, so heaps of kitchen and serving paraphernalia could evaporate and never be missed. Sentimentality is not a virtue and I’ve read one way to deal with useless, but precious things is to photograph them and file the memory---not the item. On a good day, I can envision how much lighter and happier life could be not burdened with heaps of stuff.
At Bobbin-olive Productions appropriate books are available: A Journal of Household Necessities, A Journal for Celebrating Shoes and Fashion Lover’s Journal are three. Perhaps writing about my possessions (including photos) would be the way to finally give them—and myself peace. I could write deeply and passionately about them in journals and, finally, let them go.
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