Philosophy

Great Depression still blamed for Depressing Amounts of Junk

May 23, 2013
By
Great Depression still blamed for Depressing Amounts of Junk

Raise your hand if your grandparents’ hoardish habits were excused by the fact that “They grew up during the Depression, honey. They had to save every piece of string and scrap of cloth.” That was the reason given for why Grandma traveled with enough supplies to outfit a refugee camp, why she cleaned the plane…

Read more »

Where to take clothes too old and worn to give away

May 16, 2013
By
Where to take clothes too old and worn to give away

Yes, of course we give our slightly used clothes to the thrift shops, but MY old clothes have had a very thorough life. I only wear clothes that I love, and after many mendings they are eventually pronounced dead by a certain person who is really tired of looking at them, and mending them. And…

Read more »

What about the problem of too many clothes?

May 10, 2013
By
What about the problem of too many clothes?

Uh oh. I may have just come up against the limitations of my decluttering blog. I actually don’t have this problem, so I don’t know if I can be of any help in this area. I could tell you that I keep my wardrobe under control by being frugal and organized, and claim to be all zen…

Read more »

Spontaneous Post-Carnage Shrines: Dead flowers and wet teddy bears

May 2, 2013
By
Spontaneous Post-Carnage Shrines: Dead flowers and wet teddy bears

I’ve become so obsessed with the waste stream that even in the midst of tragedies, my mind goes to to the garbage issues. By now the explosion debris at the Boston Marathon has been cleaned up, but I always wonder: what about these mountainous offerings of flowers and stuffed animals that accumulate in the outpouring…

Read more »

Aftermath of Tragedy: explosions, shootings, storms, & floods

April 24, 2013
By

How can I write about clutter at a time like this? Well, I haven’t been, you might notice. I’ve been watching and re-watching the videos just like everyone else. Maybe not just like everyone else — I’m not sure. After a point, I made myself stop. I think for a while we do it because…

Read more »

Persistent Pen Envy

April 5, 2013
By
Persistent Pen Envy

Are you sick of the pen topic? I know I am. I still want them, though. New pens, vintage pens, other people’s pens…… but I’m not giving in these days. I just drool inwardly and keep moving. I’m looking for a good pen therapist. because as I’m getting rid of all these pens — which…

Read more »

Collectivitis combined with the ecological mindset

March 18, 2013
By
Collectivitis combined with the ecological mindset

You might think it’s dumb that I write about things like pen caps and sock hangers — but that would mean you were missing my larger purpose. My assignment (call it a compulsion if you must) is to scrutinize each and every little item and ask the big questions — go all the way back…

Read more »

From whence the drive to collect?

March 14, 2013
By
From whence the drive to collect?

I admit i have a bit of a “thing” about collecting. There’s a-whole-nother category that lies somewhere between packratness and hoarderliness, and I’m in it.  The people in this category are called “collectors” instead of packrats or hoarders because they collect things in a systematic, purposeful and orderly way, display their collections in a proud…

Read more »

Harmonizing the Disharmony

August 23, 2010
By
Harmonizing the Disharmony

Note to Self:  A relationship based on tolerance, compromise or settling is doomed to eventual disharmony. I have been thinking of the idea expressed in this Note to Self for quite some time.  I have determined that now is the time to publish an article about it.  Part of the discussion, of course, will be…

Read more »

The Trinity of Spirit

June 14, 2010
By
The Trinity of Spirit

Note to Self:  The flow of a healthy, abundant life cannot be experienced fully when one has a rigid mind, emotional blocks or a tense body. Over the course of my lifetime, I have become aware of myself at deeper and deeper levels to the point where I am now aware that my “real” self…

Read more »

Tags