I’ve wandered around my house a great deal lately. In all this wandering, I have come to one big revelation: I have too much stuff. Seriously, I have stuff everywhere. Not to the point that I’m too embarrassed to have company, but it is shit that I notice that needs to go.
I like stuff—things like art, books, albums, photographs. I like looking at my things. The things that make me happy—the things that bring back memories. As much as I like a good vacation souvenir, I have to admit, I really have a lot of shit sitting around my house. However, after living in my current house for a decade, I realize I have a lot of junk that seriously needs to be addressed. I don’t even know where to start.
It happens. Shit just builds up and then one day you look around and are like, “Where the fuck did all this crap come from?” It’s a legitimate question. It is also my current situation. I have a habit of laying stuff down. I lay it down in places that are not its correct home or even when it belongs in the trash. Clutter. Clutter is my nemesis.
I know I gotta purge. Like a major cleanse. My dream is to rent one of those big dumpsters and throw a ton of shit away. However, the hippie in me will not allow that. I feel like I need to donate a lot to Goodwill. Some of my crap is good stuff. I just don’t want it. One’s man’s trash…
Honestly, I don’t even know where to start. Clothes, knickknacks, maybe some books and just a ton of general clutter need to go. However, my energy and motivation for this task are low. Very low. Thank you, menopause.
My sister is a minimalist. I admire that greatly, but I do like my stuff. For example, I love my dozens of funny coffee mugs. Do I need dozens of coffee mugs? No, but they make me happy. I guess I could probably part with a few.
My hobbies are also somewhat problematic. I love to read and knit. This has resulted in an obscene amount of book and yarn hoarding. I have books everywhere—which I love. My office could also double as a yarn shop. I’m still buying books and yarn. Perhaps another system of organization is needed. Lord knows organization is not my strong suit.
Stuff shouldn’t be so important to me, but it is. So are my experiences. I love to travel. I love to buy things when I travel to remind me of the adventure. I like to be surrounded by things I love. However, I’m not loving the stack of mail on my counter right now, so I guess I could start there.
In the end, I’ll never be a minimalist, but I would welcome some order and probably do not need a T-shirt from college that no longer fits.
Angela Traver
What is this blog about? Well, it's a general blog, but it is also a very specific blog. If you get that reference, you get a gold star! I have been a public relations professional and writer of press releases for more than 20 years—primarily in the booze biz. I decided to do some writing for fun and embrace the humor that gets me through most days. Hopefully it will make you chuckle—or at least smile. I’m a certified crazy magnet, and more than a little nutty myself, so buckle up. Also, I have two vices—profanity and red wine/whiskey. You’ve been warned. It should also be noted, that I’m a HUGE Bob & Sheri fan. I’ve been a listener for more than 20 years. This opportunity is a dream come true and it may have made me cry. That being said, I cry at everything. If you are into booze, dogs, food and/or knitting, hit me up on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter (although I’m terrible at Twitter and it scares me) @kyspiritsgal. You can also find all my previous blog posts at www.kyspiritsgal.com.
