Prescription for Simplicity

 "Pooh," said Christopher Robin, "where did you find that pole?"

Pooh looked at the pole in his hands. "I just found it," he said. "I thought it ought to be useful, so I just picked it up."

~Pooh Book of Quotations What things have you found (or acquired) that you thought might be useful? What sweet stuff lurks on, in, or under your desk, bed, closets, or drawers? Consider this: If it is buried behind closed doors, under the desk, or stuffed in the junk drawer, then how valuable and how useful can it be to you or anyone else? You can find extra hours in your day and extra money in your pockets simply by intensifying your simplification skills. Are you like Winnie-the-Pooh? Do you find stuff that ought to be helpful and then spend time and money to store it, clean it, repair it, insure it, and worry over it? Let me share with you some insights that I have learned along my simplicity journey. -- Nothing in my drawers or closets got there by accident. Everything, at least on the day I brought it home, was supposed to be helpful. No doubt, the acquisition was connected to an emotion, an expectation, or a hope that something miraculous would happen.

Rx: I must pause to consider a compelling reason to own something before acquiring it. Will it bring joy and beauty into my life, or is it something that will require cleaning, storing, insuring, maintaining, and eventually become a burden? -- In the process of cleaning out kitchen drawers, I discovered four vegetable peelers. I like vegetables, but do I need four peelers primarily when I often use a small paring knife? Maybe I could exchange one for an apple corer.

Rx: Specialization may be just fine in medicine, but too many single-purpose gadgets take up precious space. Let's get real here! I ask myself, "Do I already have an adequate gadget? Do I need this specialty one?" There will always be new and better products that Madison Avenue advertisers are promoting with the ultimate goal to part me from my money. I need to think twice about a specialty item! What I already own probably works just fine, so why add more stuff? -- My desire for a good deal can cloud my judgment, and I end up making too many purchases. When I see a markdown, I immediately decide I need it.

Rx: Shopping is free, but buying takes time and costs money. Items brought home require space for storage and energy to maintain. A bargain is not a real bargain if the thing ends up in the back of a closet or drawer. I must consider the cost per wear or peruse before buying an item. For example, a new flashy dress for the upcoming party costs $150. If that same outfit can also be worn to next month's wedding, the annual office party, the January cruise to the Bahamas, and a special occasion in the spring, then the cost of $150 now becomes $30 per year. This may be the bargain I am looking for! But, if that dress is overly flashy and can only be worn for a summer party, then the cost may be exorbitant. -- Through the family's growing years, I gathered 'stuff' to feather the nest. Now I am taking time to scrutinize it all. Overabundance is a waster: time-waster because I search too long for the item I want; a money-waster because I spend on items that have a long shelf life but add little to the quality of my life; and an energy waster as I need to clean, store, insure, maintain...

Rx: Excess buries the treasures that bring me delight. It is easier to organize a few treasures than organize a whole closet full of unused stuff. So I will purge and simplify first. -- Furniture is generally not a problem in simplifying my life. These are oversized items, and I have limited space for big objects. The difficulty is with all those innocent little things that have entered the household for emotional reasons. These are the hardest to dispose of. They are the knick-knacks given to me by loving friends and relatives. They are souvenirs from my travels. They are my children's artwork or their childhood toys. The clue that these treasures are out of control is when they bring me more grief than joy or when I need to expend too much energy to maintain them.

Rx: I will clarify what I do not use and those items that do not bring pleasure into my life. If it is just taking up space, I will consider it a candidate for recycling. -- More than three of anything constitutes a collection, and collections come with strings attached. They grow, and they are hard to part with.

Rx: I vow to stop saving more than I can manage. My goal throughout the simplification journey was to have one empty drawer and extra closet space. This lovely "emptiness" reminds me that I have taken control of my stuff. Bareness in my storage area expresses how good it feels to simplify. It is Your Turn What is your goal? Do you need to sort through the storage areas of your home and office and take a close look at the purpose of everything you own? It should be helpful and used regularly, not stored for someday. It should add beauty and joy to your life, not extra work to maintain its condition. Begin to set limits on what you put into storage. Clear your closets (drawers, desk, garage, attic, and all the rooms in your home) to create breathing space. As a professional organizer, I find that the biggest problem most of my clients have is not that they do not have enough space. It is the fact that they have way too much stuff. Do not let your possessions begin to possess you. It is time to take control.