My Clutter Must Go

My name is Chrissy and I’m a Clutter Bug...there I’ve said it but this time I mean to do something about it. Anyone who knows me will smile at this statement because as long as they have known me I am always ‘doing something about it’......but this time I do MEAN it.....Why now you may ask.....

Well, if you look at my previous post there is one photograph of my dad and there should have been two.....could I find the second one, no. I had previously sorted out my photos and put them in chronological order so when I needed one I could go straight to the year, easy...you would think so. The last photograph taken of my dad was in 1981. So off I go to photographs for 1981 only to discover that they were no photos of my dad? Where were there?....Now what you didn’t know, those of you who read about the tribute to my dad, was that the author of that very same tribute, me, was for two hours searching through every possible place for where these photos might be.....folders, boxes, drawers, everywhere...no photos. By this time my house resembled the aftermath of a police search.!!!!! Though disappointed I went ahead and posted ‘Remembering My Dad’, switched off the computer & proceeded to make myself a coffee.......Where upon I saw the mess I had made earlier in my ever increasing frantic search....and all for one photograph! I saw about me the various files I had searched through that contained all manner of papers, odd photos and such like. It was at that moment that I decided that I’d had enough.... Yes, it’s necessary as a family historian to keep records. Yes, as a craftsperson it’s useful to have patterns, materials, etc. Yes, as a person with many interests I like to file articles, etc, for reference. Where before I felt the necessity for an organized filing system I realized at that moment that I could not possibly need all those files .....You could say it was a defining moment for me and I began to look at my Hovel with fresh eyes. ...I was living with clutter and clutter was living with me.

To show you that I am not exaggerating about the number of files I have, I decided to take a photograph or two. Not all of the files are seen here, there is only so much room on a kitchen table...Why all on the table?...To make sure I do the job because if I don’t we can’t eat our meals at the table, and that just won’t do....

The rows of files here cover the whole table and I counted approx. 87 files and 41 box files.....and that’s not including the files my hubby & son have....that is a tad too much don’t you think!!!

This is just the tip of the ice berg, I’m not even going to think about what else there is because for most of my life I have been a ‘collector’ of ‘clutter’...many of you I’m sure will relate to this. How many of you have drawers jammed full with items that have not seen the light of day for years. What about wardrobes, yes we girls are good at keeping clothes that we may ‘wear again one day’....me & my body know that isn’t going to happen...hehe....Oh yes, and the boxes of memorabilia filled with cards, cinema tickets, etc, now what’s that all about!... And the attic, we won’t even go there...So when does a collection become a burden, treasure become trash and your home become a store room. For me it’s now. There are many treasured items that I will keep, no doubt about that, but as we get older I do believe we get less sentimental about things....as my mum said ‘If you haven’t used something for a year you don’t need it’....how true....

So there you have it. I am giving myself a challenge that as from today I will begin to de-clutter my life... and I’m not the only one......fellow clutter bugs on the Primitive and Rustic II online forum I belong to have been discussing this subject for a week or two. Just talking about it wasn’t getting us anywhere so we decided to go public.....and it’s thanks to Kady for being the one to start the DE-CLUTTERING 101 thread on the Primitive and Rustic II online forum. ....if there are any more clutter bugs out there that want to join this liberating journey then jump aboard .......and hopefully I will soon find that photo...until next time..lol..