25 of 52….Making Space

On Wednesday night, I decided to build myself a studio, and I started before 7am Thursday.

The first step was dividing my current bedroom into two sections by rearranging. I finished tidying the bedroom side this morning.

I am well pleased! Next up, the studio side.

It looks like a six month project, I know, but I’ll have a usable space here before the day is over.

14. Tea Situation

Jan14

So, the cleaning and purging continue. Today I’m working in the kitchen. Not much is leaving (yet), but I did re-arrange stuff so that I could get rid of that shelf I told you on December 24th was strictly temporary. I am through with the upper cabinets, and will get going on the bottom ones in a bit–I need to load the dishwasher first.

I had to stop to show you the tea area. I know this doesn’t seem like nearly enough tea, but there is a wide drawer under the cabinet with the coffee pot, and it is full of bagged tea. Notice I did not name this post “Tea Problem.” The only possible tea problem I see is running out, and that is clearly NOT going to happen here. Not on my watch.

5. Quit Lying

Jan5

This morning, I did some digital purging. Then I started on my clothes again. Another ten percent gone, and the closet is still full. And then I did the bookshelves again, another five percent of those gone. Plus a slew of unread magazines. I now have empty shelf space. How crazy is that?

I’m embarrassed to admit that if it weren’t for the pile of crap in the living room corner waiting to be hauled off to Goodwill/The Bookthing, you’d never know I’d been purging. You certainly wouldn’t be able to tell by looking in my closet or at the shelves. Clearly there is more to do. But. Progress has been made.

You know I have said for years that I want to live in a tiny cabin one day. And that I am frustrated by the amount of stuff in my house; that I don’t want my things to come between me and life; that I’m tired of being owned by possessions. So if you are wondering what this is: this is making my actions line up with my stated priorities. It’s time to either do that, or quit lying to myself about what I want.

3. A Process of Elimination

Jan3

This, boys and girls, is one side of my closet. I turned all the hangers around backwards today, and then I counted (both sides): 234 items that are hanging or could hang. That’s a lot of clothes. That’s TOO MANY clothes, because they won’t all fit in a closet designed for two people. I could probably get by with half that many. But half is too big a thing to do in just one day, so I settled on just pulling out a few things that didn’t make me smile anymore.

Just a few.

You know, as a start.

In less than five minutes, I had eliminated 24 items. Yeah, you read that right, 10% of my hanging wardrobe is packed into a box for Goodwill. And that’s in addition to the stuff I have eliminated in the past couple of months. It’s not enough, because all the stuff I want to hang still won’t fit in the closet.

If I were wiser and more dedicated, I would put that shit on hangers and just get rid of things until all that I was keeping fit. But I am not as wise and dedicated as all that, and 10% is enough for today. Although…. No, I’m done with clothes for today. I think.

P.S. I turned all my shoes toe out, too.