Clearing the Clutter

The more stuff you have the more stuff you have to maintain.  I've recently come to the realization that I want less maintenance, thus less stuff in my life.  I want to enjoy my life, not have my stuff dictate what I do with my time.  I decided what is important to me and those things I want to keep.  I love my car (It's a 6-speed Z4 sDrive 35i with twin turbos - fast and fun!).  I love my bikes - and by "bikes" I'm talking about motorcycles.  There's nothing in this world that competes with the feeling I get when I'm riding.  As my friend, Shannon Spry, will attest, I become a free bird when I get on them.  I love my guns and will fight to the death for my right to carry them.  I love my bed.  It's the most comfortable bed in the world and no - you can't try it out!  I love to cook and I love growing fresh herbs on the deck.  I love my close circle of friends.

There are other things that I like but these are the things I don't want to do without.  Having decided what I want to keep and knowing what I need to have to live, I now can decide what I want to toss out. 

I've started cleaning and clearing out closets and pantries but nothing has been as rewarding as when I tackled my laundry room.  For months I've been stressing over the light in my laundry room.  It stopped working and, because I've had other priorities, I have been doing my laundry in the dark.  Instead of waiting around to finally get an electrician in, I took the little lamp off my desk and sat it on the dryer.  Plugged it in and let there be light!!  My whole life changed at that very moment of enlightenment.  I couldn't wait to do a load of laundry and washed those nasty cleaning rags I'd been putting off for so long.  I was on a roll!  I cleaned the room, even cleaned the floors and took my iron and ironing board out of retirement arranging them so I could easily use them when necessary.  I couldn't wait to change my sheets so I could iron my pillow cases!  I had to stop at ironing the sheets though because my best friend in the whole wide world, Susan Freeman, brought me to my senses by telling me I was being obsessive.  Susan has a way of reeling me in when I get too far out in the lake. 

 

I was surprised that something as simple as arranging my laundry room could bring me such joy.

There is another kind of clutter that has nothing to do with stuff and that's what's in your mind.  I've never been one to worry all the time but I do have a history of over-thinking things.  For months I slept with one eye open because I never knew when Cecil was going to fall or need something.  January 26th will be three years since he died and I still can't break the habit.  It's not unusual for me to go the whole night without sleeping and, when I do sleep, it's not for long unless it's drug-induced.  At 3:00 in the morning I'll be wide awake "thinking".  I've yet to figure a way to clear the clutter out of my head!  I sure could use some help with that!

My next project is to take all the stuff that I'm clearing out of closets and junk rooms, all the stuff that I don't need or care much about and take it all to the store and have a big winter yard sale.  This is an idea I came up with during one of those sleepless nights.  I think it will kill two birds with one stone.  I'll clear out the clutter while hopefully bringing new customers into the store during winter while we are out of season.  I'll have some really cool stuff to sell.  Guitars, amplifiers, furniture, flower vases, home decor items and linens.  Stay tuned.  I'll be announcing the sale soon.