Over the years I have had a bash at this without
much success. I’m not the hoarder
portrayed in those television programmes, more that I have a “just in case”
mentality.
Recently, however, I’m having a really
good go at it and realise that you have to feel ready to succeed, no matter
what all the self help articles say.
Since retiring I have reconfigured my
wardrobe, pruned my total number of clothes and thought carefully before
purchasing new pieces. Now I can see at
a glance what I have in the wardrobe, I wash and wear throughout the season and
no one has ever remarked on how often I have worn a certain item. Some of the clothes were not “quite right” on
me or perhaps the life style I aspired to and they had to go to the charity shop
and maybe they suit someone else better.
I haven’t been able to cull my collection of scarves and handbags yet.
At my age, I have accepted that there are
some skills I will never master and some pending projects which will never come
to fruition so that paraphernalia had to go.
Also I remember the heartbreak and guilt I went through when the stuff
from decades from four children and nine grandchildren had to be cleared from our
parents’ house. I don’t want to leave
that task to my children. Also we found wedding presents which my
parents never used and cutlery and crockery saved for special occasions. I now don’t keep things for “best”.
One of the best decluttering tips I have picked
up is from Marie Kondo, who advises that, rather than go cupboard by cupboard,
go category by category. For example I
have/had categories such as toiletries, gardening stuff and stationery in more
than one location. Gathered together to
declutter, I could see that I had many duplicates and items about which I had forgotten.
So, why do I not have more room in my
cupboards?
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My flat is not entirely clutter-free, but I do keep a rather "slim" household - easy when you live on your own and have never had children or grandchildren. Periodically, I go through my wardrobe, and even though I fill a good big bag full of items that will go to charity every time, I am astonished at how my wardrobe does not look any emptier afterwards; it "magically" fills all empty spaces again :-)
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