After my dad died 10 years ago, I remember talking to my stepmother at their home. We were in the garage, where my dad had (I think) hundreds of boxes of stuff (receipts, phone books, who knows what else). Laura said to me: “I loved your dad. I didn’t like his nesting habits, but I loved him.”
My house and studio are starting to resemble my dad’s garage. So many things I’m clinging to…
I’m feeling the need to simplify. But I need an assignment, or a gimmick to help me through this letting go process. So, for the months of January, February and March 2008, I’m going to get rid of 10 things a day that are cluttering my life. (90 days x 10 things = 900 things that I will NEVER have to think about or shuffle around again!)
Do you want to join me?
The rules are simple: on good emotional days, a stack of collage fodder counts as one thing. On harder days, each piece of paper can count as one thing. Clear?
Since I’m planning the “exodus o’ stuff” for after the holidays, I figure I will have more time/space to tackle this project. But here are the things I got rid of today in a fit of energy:
— 4 empty cans of fixative (I kept the 3 that had a tiny bit left in them, plus the two new ones)
— a pillowcase
— a small envelope of collage stuff (if any of you want this, e-mail me with your address)
— an empty scrapbook
— 3 books
Yes, oh my goodness yes! On a bad day I look around and it feels like I am going to die in one of those houses where there are stacks of papers nearly to the ceiling and just a narrow tunnel to the bathroom and TV. On a good day, I look around and it just looks like I live an interesting life. I have made little inroads but some group motivation will definitely help!
Good plan! Really, the only things in my studio that I want are jars of paint and brushes (as soon as I finish this post, I’m marching into my studio to throw out 134 dead paint brushes that i’m saving for ?????). Everything else represents my past like printmaking stuff, collage papers, millions of journals that never got finished, postcards and other inspiration. I can’t fly into the future with all this “past” bogging me down. As usual, you are an inspiration!
Great idea! I need to try this!
this is a brilliant idea. I mean, I think I can do it, even on the hard days. Excellent!
Will you remind us all on Jan 1? : )
oh i am so joining you on this! yes, yes, yes!
ok, i’m kind of late commenting, but–this is a GREAT idea, and i think i’ll play along. every year the UU church here has a garage sale in may. so i get boxes and big plastic bags or whatever and just start sticking stuff in them. not trash, but anything that’s not trash (and remember, in garage sales, that’s a HUGE category) goes into them for the garage sale. good for me, good for the garage sale, good for the people who buy it.
Terrific idea! Does recycling stuff into your own work count? My daughter and I just gathered up a handful of receipts–threw most away but painted the rest green to make origami wreathes for Christmas cards as an honest tribute to my studio mess.
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