2016 - The Year of Declutter

I declare 2016 the year of declutter!

My muse has not returned so I got to thinking that maybe I'm clogged up because I have too much clutter in my life. Perhaps if I start to eliminate some of it there will be an opening in my surroundings, especially my spirit and mind, whereby creativity can once again enter it.

I have too much stuff. I have too many projects started. I have too many "one day I'm gonna" declarations. I have too little completions.

The first thing I need to declutter is my body. I've gotten to that tipping point where I know I've let myself go way too far. My husband doesn't care and I swear he wants me to stay fat and I'm not kidding. I'm sick of it and I feel sick. I know I must be at the very least pre-diabetic especially after this last month of consuming every goodie I wanted. I feel like a sugary elf who can't fit into the tree house. No more.

First step is to jump back on the NutriSystem train to give me the jump start I need. Last time it worked and I did lose seven pounds in one week. I've told my husband he's on his own this week as I will not deviate from the box of chemical fiber meals sitting on the table. That means no alcohol or wine either so he better not push that glass at me saying, "C'mon, one's not going to hurt you." Yes, yes it will because I don't know how to stop at one...one to me is a whole bottle. So, no! I've also bought a Zumba DVD set to add to my routine. Riding the stationary bike while watching Netflix doesn't work any more. My body is used to it. I could probably fall asleep while pedaling. My daughter took a look at the Zumba box and remarked, "You can't move that fast." Maybe not in a class full of slim women, but yes, yes I can in the privacy of my own home. Once I get my body fit I hope my mind will also be more fit. One step at a time.

Next up is to declutter my office. I still have all my walls plastered with research for a novel I haven't even seriously begun to write. I got so caught up in the details and research that I lost my way in the writing of it. It became too overwhelming. I jumped to a couple of other stories that I wanted to get out and was making good progress until I began researching those subjects and found myself once again a prisoner in the library. The problem is I love to read and become so easily engrossed. Add to the mix a couple of current books I "must read" and the next thing I know I have a full stack on my nightstand as well as a full kindle. Truth be told, I am at my happiest with a nose in a book, so it's not a bad thing, but if I want to be a serious writer I cannot keep reading other folk's works. For some reason the muse is with me when I'm in New York City, but here in Roanoke, she's left the valley. I'm hoping if I work on my office and declutter my surroundings from not just research on the walls, but paperwork everywhere, my mind will feel less cluttered. Right now I'm up to my ears in end of year shop shit, so it's not going to happen right away. One step at a time.

Now for the stuff decluttering. I need to do something with the thousands of books, magazines and VHS tapes that I had transported down here from my dad. I had catalogued a couple of thousand of them, but when I made the chart I made it using MS Works and not Word. Unfortunately, my lap top that contained all the info died and I have been unable to transfer all the work I did via a flash drive to any other computer we have in the house as none of them have MS Works. When I fire up my old tower to do the shop shit, I'm hoping I have Works on there so I could at least print out all the info. Even if I can, I'm still at a loss of the best way to go about selling the materials. Should I start a website? Should I use eBay? Should I use Amazon? I've never sold anything on line and I have no idea how to even begin. I feel like the tons of books are hovering over my head and will collapse upon me one day if I don't do anything with them. All I know is I have to do something as the shop has everything there and my husband needs room for his creations which brings me to the next decluttering I need to do...find a way to help my husband sell his creations.

My husband is not only a gifted mechanic but he also has magic hands with wood, granite, or anything else you put in front of him. He creates beautiful works and has been bugging me to come up with a way to self his stuff on-line. Although he did very well around Christmas with folks coming to the shop and buying his creations for last minute gifts, he could do much better all across the country. Again, I just don't know how to begin to market and sell it for him. Should I start a website? Should I use eBay? Should I use Amazon? Should I use Etsy? I just don't know where to begin, but I really need to as we need to think about adding a second income into the mix as his mechanic days will eventually be drawing to an end. There are no old mechanics. And if we're going to depend on my royalties, we'll certainly starve.

I also have tons of "memory" articles cluttering up the basement. There are knick-knacks, clothing, just tons of crap from my parent's house which I have not even unwrapped from newspaper, or have stuck in drawers, boxes, etc. What do I do with all that stuff? I have always felt guilty just thinking about getting rid of it, but what good is it doing me? I'm getting to the point where I need to let some of it go. I think I finally realized it this Christmas when I had a couple of pieces that were my mom's shatter during the holidays. When they broke I was upset for about a minute, especially since this year was the first year I unwrapped them and said, "What am I waiting for? A special day? Today is a special day!" So I took them out and actually used them. Unfortunately, the folding table wasn't secure and one leg buckled under (that's the story we're going with) causing everything on it to tumble to the ground. The only things that broke were my mom's. Same thing happened when a plate flew out of the dish drain on the counter. Same thing happened when the Christmas resting spoon came out of the dishwasher broken. By that time I was like, "Oh well, another one bites the dust." So I got to thinking if the articles I liked broke and I was able to flick the feelings away so easily why am I holding onto all the figurines and stuff which I don't even like? Perhaps it's time to let them go as well. Maybe I can sell some of them too. Once again, how do I go about it? On-line? Or, maybe I should look into what the deal is with renting a space from a local flea market or consignment shop. Something to consider.

All I know is that my life needs decluttering, and just because you get rid of an article that means/meant something to me/someone it doesn't mean I'm getting rid of the memory and memories take up less space...