Happy Monday, everyone!
It’s November and 2014 is winding down.I have been on a little bit of a de-cluttering spree this week, taking a pile of children’s books that I had not looked at in decades to a charity drop off specifically for books. I hope they find a good home. I think because the weather here in Colorado has been so beautifully seasonal this fall it has made me extra motivated to clear out as much stuff as possible before it is freezing and driving to drop things off at charity seems like a daunting task.
I was reminiscing about old episodes of Sex in the City the other day. I loved that show. Yes, it was racy and those women could make me blush with their dating practices, but the writing was really good and despite her faults, Carrie Bradshaw was a cool character. The episode that came to mind was The Old Women Who Lived In Her Shoes. In this episode Carrie finds herself on the brink of being without a place to live when she must either purchase her rent controlled apartment or find someplace else to live on rather short notice. She does not have the money to attempt to purchase the apartment which is made even more devastating when she realizes over the course of several years she has spent 40,00 dollars on designer shoes. The episode presented a well to do career girl’s version of “I could have saved 500 dollars this year by not drinking Starbucks” moment.
I love the character of Carrie Bradshaw and can not find it in my heart to judge her. I think the reason I have compassion for her is she has to come to terms with the fact that she set herself up for the predicament she finds herself facing. She then has to confess to her close friends and boyfriend, Aiden, her situation.Talk about eating humble pie, ouch.
I do not have 40, 000 dollars of anything in my home but it is all relative. Many times I have bought something and wondered why I thought I needed it three or four months later. I have bought things when I was caught up in the moment shopping with a friend.I have convinced myself I needed a new outfit, shoes, or some other object because I need to look professional for school or nice for church. I have bought books that I have never read and spent money on magazine subscriptions just to watch the magazines pile up on the coffee table. Yes, I have things in my home that are taking up space. The money used to purchase these things could have gone for a much more noble purpose. Probably not a down payment on a home by a long shot, but possibly enough to pay for a nice vacation somewhere. Yep, there is a little bit of Carrie in me. There is probably a little Carrie in most people.
The good thing is that after half a century I am becoming aware. Aware about what I bring into my home and how it affects my life. Stuff is stagnant energy. It blocks the flow in a home. I have the double duty of cleaning out my stuff, and slowly going through things that were already in this home when I moved in. Little by little I am making great strides. Someday my home will hold nothing but things I need, love, and have value to me. I can hardly wait!
As always, I would love to hear from you!
Thanks for stopping by the blog 🙂
Until next time,
Laura
The Next 50 Years 
Nice you still have warm weather, wish I did too. ;-(
I get the lesson of the shoes and looking back see how I could have had my dream of a home needing minimal cleaning if I too had filled it with less. The problem for me, looking back, wasn’t in my need to shop as much as trying to show I could have what I wanted in a smaller home. I took a lot of criticism for raising my family in a home under 900 sq ft. I was criticized because my sons couldn’t have what their peers had if I continued to live in that home. I didn’t want my boys to feel like outcasts so I allowed more stuff to come in than we needed which resulted in a cluttered home. Once they moved out as adults it took me a while to see all that was left behind with me.
It takes close attention to detail to see those things we have but aren’t using to notice how much space is being wasted.
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I agree it is hard to look with an objective eye at what we have and to create the best use of space. As single person I have lived most my adult life in 550 sq feet or less but now I think I have 1200. This is because I bought my mom’s house. I don’t need as much space as I have but ironically it would cost me more to find a smaller place than what my mortgage is now. Still, more space doesn’t have to mean more stuff for me just more elbow room 🙂
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I’ve been doubling down in the de cluttering lately too with the holidays and the end of the year coming up marking my first full year of minimalism. I thought I’d be further by now, but I’ve still made lots of progress and have a month to go. My Grandma dying and inheriting some of her stuff didn’t help. You are inspiring though keep it up!
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Hi Kelsey!
I am sorry to hear about your grandmother. I hope you inherited some beautiful things from her to match your memories.
. I think with things like we inherit it is good for the soul to hold on to them for a while because they do give us a sense of comfort during our grief. Then, over time, let go what we no longer need. You can even take pics of heirlooms so you can enjoy the memory without the clutter. A friend of mine suggested that to me once.
Keep up your good work and congrats on a full year of Minimalism
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I love reading your blogs, Laura. I have been trying to ‘drill down’ more over the past few years and clear out more “dear” stuff to me, so I appreciate what you said here, Laura. Keep for a while, then let go. I have also inherited many things from both grandmothers years ago. I tend to keep things that are given to me, and make sure they are used or displayed. There are some things that I have, though, that I have no room to display because I also have a small-ish place. So they sit it boxes up in the attic because I feel guilty to let them go. I’ll have to come to terms with this at some point. Thank you again for your insightful messages!
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Thanks Donna! I am am glad you enjoy the blog and find it helpful. 🙂
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