Decluttering

A Japanese businesswoman Marie Kondo has made a fortune by advising on decluttering.

She calls herself a consultant organiser. Her books are best sellers. She sets up seminars which are moderated by one of her employees.

Her philosophy is only to retain items which spark joy.

I decided to adopt a cheaper approach and to follow the practical advice of my p/a Polly. However I would be the arbiter of what should go and what should stay on my terms.

Decluttering  has many benefits.

The obvious one is that it simplifies your home, creating more space by removing items that you no longer require.

You discover stuff you did not realise you had but this can produce a surprising results.

Yesterday, when Operation Genghis Khan turned to my spare room, I discovered in one drawer the gym garb of a German visitor I no longer see.

Do I contact her?

Can I remove this to a charity shop?

In the end last night I offered it to a friend who works in a care home. She was grateful to receive it.

Decluttering is dull work.

So it’s best not to conquer Rome in one day but to take it stage by stage, street by street.

Perhaps one cupboard a day, one hour a day. Most people have a cupboard in which everything is thrown. In my case it’s my garage now that I no longer drive and have got rid of my car.

In these long winter days it’s a worthwhile project.

Now I survey clearer, cleaner surfaces and find stuff quicker.

I thought I was organised but now realise that I was not. After seven years in my home I’ve amassed an awful amount of stuff that is surplus to requirements.