Sometime around February, I started a massive spring cleaning project. I realized that my life was filled with useless crap and that it was bunging up my existence the way too much red meat and not enough veg does to the lower intestine. Gross, I know, but think about it. Constipation is painful and uncomfortable so why do that to our living space? There have been a number of studies done that conclude that people who have everything trimmed out and tidy about their home, workspace, etc. experience much less stress. I expect that this is true for people like me who are pointedly Type A.
Unfortunately, I am not married to someone who falls into this category. Evil Scientist will save anything from anywhere. I'm sure if he was in a horrible car accident, he would ask the hospital for his bloodied, ripped clothing so he could stuff it in a bag and toss it into a corner because “you never know when you might need it”. Worse yet, if he can't find something that he's saved (likely because it's buried under more stupid, uselessness), he just buys a new one. I think that we have 117 staplers because of this phenomenon.
Being a pack-rat is catching, apparently and I have found that I'm beginning to have a collection of uselessness myself. I can't live like this. Aside from my OCD tendencies being terminally upset, I have nasty allergies to dust and piles of garbage tend to collect the stuff.
Thus, I've begun a process of painstakingly taking a part of the house and getting rid of anything that has long since passed its point of being useful. So far, I've done the powder room, the main bathroom and the front closet.
Into the garbage went any kind of product that was half-used. If I didn't like it in the first place, why am I hanging on to it? I am cut off when it comes to buying make-up of any kind. I rarely wear the stuff so there's no point buying it and then tossing it. I have loads of lip gloss to get rid of so I've actually tried to make a point of wearing the stuff daily. I sent about a ton of junk jewellery to the Sally Ann. Most of it I've had for years and never worn. After the bathrooms, I resolved to never buy anything that I don't need and don't use.
Although I've been good about getting rid of my old clothes, I've neglected the front closet. Today, I weeded out the last of the outer-wear that didn't fit (I had to make room for the latest Helly Hansen purchase that I waited all winter to go on sale). I turfed several pairs of shoes that are too old, too big (my shoe size has gone done about a size and a half with the weight loss) or simply never worn. I still have eight pairs of ballet flats in varying styles and degrees of dressiness. So, no more shoes of any kind until I've worn out what I have.
I dread the next project, my office. It's time to get rid of all the ridiculous pieces of paper that sit in boxes for no apparent reason. I think I'll probably remember the last concert I went to without the ticket stubs.
I hate the thought of putting the a/c into the ground or running into a tree out at Louise and someone else having to go through all my stuff for me. Plus, I know that Evil Scientist would just keep everything as some kind of monument to my ineffectiveness.
Theoretically, when I'm done, I will have somewhat improved my physical and mental health. I will have also improved my bank account as I am now in the habit of asking myself if I really need something before I buy it. This leaves more money for flying, skiing and whatever else I decide to do once ski season is done.