Quiet Time

I've been spending time going through closets and boxes and bureau drawers, inspired by The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing by Marie "KonMari" Kondo. (The Guardian ran a useful article about this book, and here's the New York Times take.)

 My turn to read one of Bellingham Library's 15 copies came up at the beginning of January, perfect timing for the new year. I've read more than a few books on organizing one's home (and office, when I was working), but this was the most unusual. Marie Kondo, whose interest in organizing began in early childhood, proposes, as the New York Times article states, that you should discard "everything that does not 'spark joy,' after thanking the objects that are getting the heave-ho for their service; and do not buy organizing equipment -- your home already has all the storage you need."

I couldn't go with the whole program, but I did take notes and have been applying them, as a number of things she said rang true to me:

We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.

Keep only those things that speak to your heart.

...many of the things you possess have already fulfilled their role.
By acknowledging their contribution and letting them go with gratitude,
you will be able to truly put things you own, and your life, in order. In the end, all that will remain will be the things you really cherish.

...when we really delve into the reasons for why we can't let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.
The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.

Food for thought -- and action.

(Today's image was taken at Marine Park, in the Fairhaven neighborhood of Bellingham. And yes, Dramatic Tone was used again... the weather and light were very dull indeed!)