” Don’t throw that out. You never know when you may need it. ” Is that the voice of my conscience being thrifty or my mother being from a generation that well, kept everything ?
I grew up on a house where everything should be either saved, recycled or stored away. It wasn’t hoarding exactly (as some would argue) but the maximum use of any given object. Now I see a house where things occupy so much more space than people. In my parent’s defense, they are from a generation which was so much better at being vigilant and categorizing while at the same time doing all that needed to be done day after day.
In the beginning, when I started life on my own, I too kept everything. But over time I realized that doesn’t work for people like me. Too many things get disorganized and out of hand. For us, living life day to day is hard enough without having to keep track of the tiniest thing in our house that we once used and may need again. And let’s face it. When you do need the thing that was once stored away in a remote corner under a box marked ‘ stationary ‘, you eventually end up going to the store and just buying it instead of looking for it in the storeroom or attic. Things get specially chaotic when you give members get added to the family. Having little ones who control your life makes you keep letting go of the little things. After all priorities change. Then comes the time to move to a new city or house and you are astounded by the stuff that’s been lying around, unused and now useless. And when it comes time to spring clean, I’m sure we all would rather just hide under a blanket than face the mess.
Clutter basically objectifies the chaos within our lives. Which is why I now I get absolutely petrified at thought of disorderliness. Periodically organizing, labeling, putting things away in tiny little designated boxes is a necessity, and kind of therapeutic even. A bright new day deserves a fresh start for mess even.
- Every night has me nagging my family to put away their things and doing it myself if I find no ears.
- Things are placed in the area where they belong.
- Toys, stationary, utensils, pantry items etc are sorted through. There’s a see through box for every category.
- Out go the things that haven’t been used in 6 months or more. After all, someone’s junk is another person’s treasure. Better to donate than let rot.
- Mail is sorted through regularly, filed away, shredded or thrown out, while feeling extremely sorry for the trees involved.
- Same applies to my online life.
I make a special point of never drastically changing the place of any given thing for that means my mom brain will lose track of it’s placement soon enough.
I know I get a tad obsessive and ruthless with what makes the cut be it in real or online life but then it’s for my own good in the long run. The control over things makes me feel in control of all. The alternative is a mind numbing helplessness that follows hours of work.
I used to wonder how my mother does all that she does, even when sick. Organizing, cleaning, cooking, vacuuming even. Now I find myself turning into a not better, but morphed version of her, trying to make sure that no matter what the circumstances. I try my best to not let the clutter overtake my life. It’s a daily battle that helps keep the final war at bay.
Now if only I could get my hands on my husband’s stuff !!
