Joyful Decluttering

Ever since I was a preteen who watched the afternoon movie on television most weekdays after school, I’ve been a fan of old movies. My husband shares this interest. As a result, we collected dozens of old movies on videocassette over the years.

When our VCR died a while back, we sadly realized that our collection had just become obsolete, because it’s very hard to find a new VCR. We began collecting old movies on DVD, but kept the videos for sentimental reasons, I suppose.

Then I read that the county nursing home is looking for donations for their “canteen,” where residents can select items for personal use, like sample bottles of shampoo, or nail polish, and also entertainment items like videotapes and DVDs. This was the incentive we needed to let go of all those tapes.

So I made a list of all of them, so we’ll know what to buy in DVD format, packed up the tapes (three bags’ worth) and dropped them off for the nursing home residents. Most of the movies we donated are of similar vintage to the residents (1930s-1950s). I also included several more recent DVDs of which we had doubles; we bought the first season of a series, then later bought the whole series, so we didn’t need to keep that first season.

It felt good to give those movies to people who will hopefully get some enjoyment out of them, and now we have more room on the shelves. Win, win!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Black Friday Lessons

I never got into the Black Friday excitement when it first cropped up years ago, probably because I don’t like crowds. But once it moved online, I learned that it could be quite a temptation for me.

Case in point: this Thanksgiving, it was just us at home for dinner because illness was running rampant through our extended family. So once the turkey was in the oven, I was free to sit and shop the Black Friday fabric sales in the comfort of my recliner.

I actually spent two hours looking at fabric, picking out my favorites and then, later, talking myself out of them. There was a needed purchase that I planned on making, and I did so at 20% off due to the Black Friday sale, but that was all I bought.

It was quite a struggle, I can tell you. Each fabric that appealed to me came with its own idea: this would make a cute top, that would make such a nice dress, and on and on. Who knows how many tabs I had open?

But I had to be strict with myself, because I know me. I’ve written about “I Was Gonna,” and how that gets us creative types into trouble. Well, every one of those potential purchases might have eventually ended up on the “I Was Gonna” list. I know this because of my track record, and because I already have several large pieces of fabric waiting their turn to become clothing. I really don’t need more.

The fabric I did buy is needed to finish a project; that’s OK. But starting new projects? Not until those fabrics currently in line become actually finished clothing. Otherwise I end up with a sewing room full of clutter, which is exactly what I don’t want.

The Minimalist Shower

Simplicity in the Shower

Recently, we stayed at a cute remodeled 1950s motel. We’ve been there before and we really like it. They keep everything clean and simple.

Take the bathroom, for instance. It has the original fixtures and tile, so there’s no vanity, just a medicine chest behind the mirror above the sink. But in the shower, they added something very 21st century: a built-in shampoo, conditioner, and body wash dispenser.

It’s very simple-looking but it sure is convenient. No more wet bottles to track down and wipe off at the end of our stay. No more wet bars of soap sliding around the tub. As convenient as it was for us, I’m sure housekeeping loves it, too, because it makes clean-up so simple.

This has inspired me to weed out several old half-finished bottles of shampoo and conditioner that are taking up room under our bathroom sink. I’m also going to finish the half-used bottles scattered around our shower and commit to using only one at a time in the future. That’s how much I enjoyed using a shower/tub that didn’t have wet bottles scattered all around it.

My Favorite Decluttering Quotes

Ever since decluttering became a popular trend, it seems like nearly everyone has jumped on the bandwagon. As a result, there are a lot of great quotes and memes floating around the Internet relating to decluttering. Here are some of my favorites, and the last one is the best:

The more things you own, the more they own you. Anonymous

Clutter is the result of delayed decisions. Anonymous

Perfectionism is often an excuse for procrastination. Paul Graham

You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk. Louise Smith

Life is a balance of holding on and letting go. Anonymous

The more you have, the more you dust! Robin Bastian

Storage experts are hoarders. Marie Kondo

If you don’t love it or use it, it’s clutter. Anonymous

Your home is living space, not storage space. Francine Jay

Happiness is a place between too little and too much. Finnish proverb

“Later” is the best friend of clutter. Peter Walsh

Collect moments, not things. Anonymous

Finally, my very favorite decluttering quote, words for a declutterer to live by, is:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. William Morris