Clearing space

One of my biggest stumbling blocks is hoarding - especially the written stuff. 

My partner in crime (husband of 30 years) has the same problem.  Since we don't see eye to eye with many things (politics, religion, way to bring up children) we argue often. But regarding this one vice,  we are equal. We have 7 bookcases (one quite large) filled to the brim with books of all genres, from philosophy to westerns.  From How to fix you 1967 Volkswagen to Vegetable Gardening in South Africa.  Poetry and children's books and self help books.  

 One of the things I signed up for at the beginning of 2018 was to clear a physical working space from where I could function more smoothly, think clearly, be innovative. I started with one of two store rooms in the backyard.  This one is stacked with boxes of documents and files from my past. The other one has odd tables and beds and mattresses and gholf sets and toys . . . . .

I have worked for a research organisation for 19 years, when in 2005, the powers that be decided that our whole group was to made redundant.   We were involved with transport safety research (mostly government stuff) and research money was not forthcoming.

Off I went with my boxes of documents.  Project files proving that the project was managed well.  Stacks of files with useful information - academic magazines, articles printed from the internet. This has grown over time:  More files.  Boxes with filled in questionnaires from surveys for clients.  Personal accounting stuff like electricity bills and bank statements.

That was what I tackled for 4 full days at the beginning of January.  The store room is almost empty now, except for the neatly stacked papers ready for recycling.

I engaged in a lot of soul searching around old photographs, research projects done with colleagues, our children's school books (rereading their essays before throwing in the recycling bin).  

Decluttering can be quite a journey.

Work in Progress - but much better already

The second space I tackled was our small stoep (entrance to our house) which has also deteriorated into a store room.  I threw away lots of stuff.  Redid my filing.  This is my space now, which I share with our 17 year old Jack Russel X Maltese Poodle (Goku), who sleeps most of the day - waking up to eat and now and then to fake an attack on the cat (Gandalf).

For now the space is just functional.  No money spent, just time.  Maybe later I will add some touches.

 
Still lots to do in the house

I restarted work on the 7th of January.

I can report that I was quite productive during this week. 

 Insights:

• Such a feeling of lightness after you have really cleared a space - less anxious
• Having a lot of old stuff is not the issue, the issue is about discarding them to dusty spaces where they are not accessible and where you forget about them.  
• Understand why you are clinging to stuff - some things are fine (like old photographs), but do something with them
• I am still looking for my perfect filing system
• The feeling that everything has its space is conducive to productivity
• Remember if you die your children will have to clear this space - have mercy on them 
• The animals love it when you this - lots to sniff (dogs); many containers of different sizes to see whether you can fit in and go to sleep (the cat).  They love just being around you while you are physically active.

  

  Gandalf at ease while I am sweating in the store room