WIP Wednesday/It's All Too Much!
No camera today, so no photos for this post.
I spent Monday sorting through lots of paperwork. It was more emotionally draining than I had anticipated, but I made it through and am very satisfied with what I accomplished. Yesterday was finishing up paperwork sorting for that area of my home and it wasn't nearly as difficult because I was already aware of what the contents were.
Something to consider when decluttering, taken from Peter Walsh's It's All Too Much!
I have never considered what I do helping people "get rid of stuff." Yes, there have been cases where 90 percent of what was in a home has been removed. Don't misunderstand me: I love to see the clutter go and cheer wildly for every square inch of floor space that we clear. But what I am doing is helping people see what it is that they need, love, honor, and really use in their homes. Once these items are identified, what is left has no place in the house. So there are two ways you can look at this process. If you look at it as throwing stuff away, it will be a tough undertaking. If however, you understand that from the clutter and disarray you are going to unearth those things that are most important in your life -- like a thrilling archeological dig -- then what we are doing is the most positive and exciting thing you have done for yourself in a long time. p. 60
And another gem, regarding sentimental items:
The things we own have incredible power to evoke a memory, to re-create a moment from the past long gone, or to stir up emotions from a previous time. We often hold on to items because they have these strong memories attached. When we have trouble letting go of an object, it's usually the memory, rather than the item itself, that we are frightened of losing. You may not be able to articulate this fear, but in your heart you know that the power the item has over you is profound. This situation is not at all unusual. When clutter is sentimental, you need to figure out two things: first, how to separate the memory from the item, and second, how to preserve the memory in a way that honors and respects it. This process takes the power away from the object in a way that is really liberating and enables you to live your life without the sense of fear and worry of future loss. p. 135
One of the issues I'm coming up against is that we have so many things we're shedding that it will be nigh impossible to display it all for any sort of contents sale. Additionally, because we live in a semi-secured bldg, I don't feel comfortable advertising to the general public and giving strangers access to our building via an open front or back door. I'm going to have to rethink how best to get rid of stuff while still attempting to make money from the stuff we want to get rid of, seeing as how we're in need of different furniture for this space and not all of it will be available on craigslist or the like.
***
On the jewelry-making front, I've finished a bracelet I'm particularly pleased with (aquamarine and mother-of-pearl). And I've "finished" a necklace: opalite (clear iridescent), blue sapphire, kyanite (deep blue), and white moonstone. I don't like the contrast of the white with the dark blue, and I'd prefer the opalite be replaced by a particular piece of lapis. Unfortunately, said lapis has no bead hole, so I've been reading up on how to drill beads. I have fairly easy access to all the necessary materials, so once I have all those materials acquired, I'm going to attempt to drill a hole into a small piece of stone. eek! Hopefully, the fact that lapis is in the mid-range on the Mohs hardness scale will mean that it isn't so soft it will crumble in my hands, nor is it too hard that it will shatter. Yes, I have safety glasses and will use them.
Once I've drilled the lapis, it'll replace the opalite, and the moonstone will be replaced by malachite, for a dark green, dark blue combo necklace. The moonstone will become another bracelet.
And I put in an order last night for a whackload of beads I can't get locally (and certainly not at these prices). Those should arrive in a few weeks, so I can finish up three or four different projects.
Apparently, the use of these types of stone as healing tools is called litho-therapy. I like that it has a name.
I spent Monday sorting through lots of paperwork. It was more emotionally draining than I had anticipated, but I made it through and am very satisfied with what I accomplished. Yesterday was finishing up paperwork sorting for that area of my home and it wasn't nearly as difficult because I was already aware of what the contents were.
Something to consider when decluttering, taken from Peter Walsh's It's All Too Much!
I have never considered what I do helping people "get rid of stuff." Yes, there have been cases where 90 percent of what was in a home has been removed. Don't misunderstand me: I love to see the clutter go and cheer wildly for every square inch of floor space that we clear. But what I am doing is helping people see what it is that they need, love, honor, and really use in their homes. Once these items are identified, what is left has no place in the house. So there are two ways you can look at this process. If you look at it as throwing stuff away, it will be a tough undertaking. If however, you understand that from the clutter and disarray you are going to unearth those things that are most important in your life -- like a thrilling archeological dig -- then what we are doing is the most positive and exciting thing you have done for yourself in a long time. p. 60
And another gem, regarding sentimental items:
The things we own have incredible power to evoke a memory, to re-create a moment from the past long gone, or to stir up emotions from a previous time. We often hold on to items because they have these strong memories attached. When we have trouble letting go of an object, it's usually the memory, rather than the item itself, that we are frightened of losing. You may not be able to articulate this fear, but in your heart you know that the power the item has over you is profound. This situation is not at all unusual. When clutter is sentimental, you need to figure out two things: first, how to separate the memory from the item, and second, how to preserve the memory in a way that honors and respects it. This process takes the power away from the object in a way that is really liberating and enables you to live your life without the sense of fear and worry of future loss. p. 135
One of the issues I'm coming up against is that we have so many things we're shedding that it will be nigh impossible to display it all for any sort of contents sale. Additionally, because we live in a semi-secured bldg, I don't feel comfortable advertising to the general public and giving strangers access to our building via an open front or back door. I'm going to have to rethink how best to get rid of stuff while still attempting to make money from the stuff we want to get rid of, seeing as how we're in need of different furniture for this space and not all of it will be available on craigslist or the like.
***
On the jewelry-making front, I've finished a bracelet I'm particularly pleased with (aquamarine and mother-of-pearl). And I've "finished" a necklace: opalite (clear iridescent), blue sapphire, kyanite (deep blue), and white moonstone. I don't like the contrast of the white with the dark blue, and I'd prefer the opalite be replaced by a particular piece of lapis. Unfortunately, said lapis has no bead hole, so I've been reading up on how to drill beads. I have fairly easy access to all the necessary materials, so once I have all those materials acquired, I'm going to attempt to drill a hole into a small piece of stone. eek! Hopefully, the fact that lapis is in the mid-range on the Mohs hardness scale will mean that it isn't so soft it will crumble in my hands, nor is it too hard that it will shatter. Yes, I have safety glasses and will use them.
Once I've drilled the lapis, it'll replace the opalite, and the moonstone will be replaced by malachite, for a dark green, dark blue combo necklace. The moonstone will become another bracelet.
And I put in an order last night for a whackload of beads I can't get locally (and certainly not at these prices). Those should arrive in a few weeks, so I can finish up three or four different projects.
Apparently, the use of these types of stone as healing tools is called litho-therapy. I like that it has a name.