Thursday, October 21, 2010

Excess.

My mom always amazes me with her ability to get rid of things that she doesn't see a need for anymore.
And, she does it so easily....without looking back.

Her apartment at "The Home" is smaller than her small condo that she moved out of....so, she feels this need to clear things away every once in a while.  If she finds something that she thinks one of us (my sisters and I) might want/need she will possibly save it....but, most of the time it goes into the garbage or donated.  She can throw out several bags of  "stuff" at a time without any concern that she may need/miss any of it at some point.

Not me.

I tend to hold on to things just in case I might find myself in need of it someday.  One never knows, right?!

I have this basket at my office desk.  It is filled with papers with information that I feel I might need.  Once the basket gets so high that it may topple over, I go through it and throw out about 1/3 of the stuff.  Then, I begin the collection again.....and so on and so on.

I hate to get rid of old clothes....even though I have gotten a bit (ahem!) "thicker" and they don't fit at all quite as well as they used to....I just keep them hanging there in my closet....just in case.  Like, maybe I will get back into some of my old college clothing.....or, perhaps these bell-bottoms will come back in style one day.

Then there are just "things" that I can't seem to part with.  I mean do I really need my little collections?  I mean how many salt and pepper shakers does one need? And, will I ever really need to use that fancy schmancy silver champagne bottle holder?  My book collection is getting so overgrown that I may begin to give out library cards to those who come over and want to peruse my bookshelves.

Oh, and the art!  My walls are so covered already...filled with "things" that I just can't live without.  I'm an artist, so it just makes sense that I would have a lot of art in my home.

But, I know that Mom has the right idea....simplify, simplify, simplify.  We really don't need to surround ourselves with so much stuff.

And, I plan to do that.....

...as soon as I see if those bell-bottoms still fit me.

1 comment:

Granny Annie said...

Oh dear, that sounds exactly like me. I do believe that both of us are on the brink of becoming hoarders.