We have spent the last four weeks in a frenzy of cleaning out. Household goods to Salvation Army. Nicer work clothes to Goodwill Boutique. Books to the Friends of the SF Public Library. Office products, wrapping paper, art supplies and ribbons to Scrap. Toxics (paint, yard chemicals, etc.) and e-waste to the dump for safe disposal. This past weekend we held our official “Open House Cooling,” where we invited friends to come visit, have a snack, and take something home with them. These items were useful or pretty, but we knew we no longer needed them.
Now, just now, we are starting to see a dent in the mountain of personal belongings we’ve collected over two decades. We still have things to minimize, and several more visits to each of the above organizations.
This exercise has caused me to reflect on the opening up of space and my deep desire for open, uncluttered spaces. I’ve looked at these last few weeks as a metaphor. It’s more than just physical spaces that we are opening. Without the burden of caring for, organizing or navigating around all the clutter, my hope is to open space for creativity, for making.