De-cluttering

My wife has a penchant for organization.  Now that she is retired she reorganizes what she has already organized.  She has also been doing a great deal of downsizing goods and possessions.  A few weeks ago a comic strip in the paper, "Zits" had a short series on the Mom having just binge watched a television show "Tidying Up" and it got her pumped to take on challenge to clean and organize the bedroom of her teenage son.  A later strip had her son and picking up each piece and having him ask if the item sparked joy.  A week later a different comic strip had a few strips related to the same subject.  When tidying and organizing gets to the comics you know it is popular.  Yet, in my mind, my wife could do the Marie Kondo show. 

Zits Comic (Google Images)

Americans apparently like to buy stuff, and the nation as a whole has driven the Chinese economy over the past few decades.  We have also driven the Japanese economy, so there is some irony in a Japanese lady giving lessons to Americans on downsizing and de-cluttering.  They sell us the stuff (junk?) and now have us get rid of it.  As the baby boomers age it is all the rage to downsize.  Our son loaned my wife a copy of a book titled Swedish Death Cleaning, where Swedes downsize so their children do not have to worry about the stuff.  Add this on top of "Tidying Up" and a whole industry is developing around downsizing and de-cluttering.  

De-Cluttering items awaiting pickup

On the home front the tidying up began over a year ago.  I knew I was in for a change when my wife reorganized the clothing items in my dresser drawers.  All the socks are folded in half lengthwise and grouped by color.  All the T shirts are not laid down but stand on edge.  She rolled up my underwear, but I since given up on that  method of storage.  The sock drawer and the t-shirt drawer are not near as tidy as they were when she first organized the dresser.  For some reason, when she was reading the draft of this post, the photo of the organization of my t-shirt drawer did not spark joy in her.  I think she probably got the folding information from Marie Kondo.  She downsized to the point she no longer has a dresser.  She has never asked me if any item I have sparks joy.  My reply would be it varies.  At the beginning of winter I look at my snow boots and they spark joy in anticipation of snow; by March when I look at my snow boots they decidedly do not spark joy, but I also know it would be stupid to get rid of them.

Comic 2 (Google Images)

More recently she has been going through our storage area in the basement and pulling out stuff she feels we will no longer need and donating it to varied causes.  At times, I pull a few things out, such as good dish cloths, if she does not wish to use at home, we can use camping.  There were also table knives I pulled out, because of the three main types of tableware, knives seem to break, at least a certain kind.  It most often occurs digging into peanut butter jars and the handle loosens from the blade.  One piece knives are the best.  My wife is not the only person into downsizing possessions.  She in fact suggested this topic as a blog post, and went even further that I should watch Marie Kondo's "Tidying Up" episodes.  I saw perhaps five minutes of a couple episodes she was watching to come to the conclusion that I do not need to watch or read Marie Kondo when I have my wife.  

My t-shirt drawer

It is an interesting economic dynamic that the nation is in the midst of a downsizing trend.  Watching "Antique Roadshow" it becomes apparent that items of value ten to thirty years ago have decreased in value today--dining china is just one good example.  Two areas of collectibles that seem to be increasing in value on the show are usually items made in China, particularly those made of Jade, or African-American folk art.  This is due to the current high interest from Chinese made wealthy by the US consumer and African-Americans wanting items of their heritage.  Economically concern has arisen that the world is heading for a recession. 

Zits Comic 3, (Google Images)

Population and purchasing, particularly by first world nations, (most specifically the US) drive the world economy and in many western nations birth rates are at an historic low as the Millennial generation puts off child birth.  Having children increases population and increases spending.  Spending on goods made in China apparently is decreasing, which has led to the recession concern.  What is interesting is that regardless of tariffs and a slow down in China, the US trade deficit with China has not decreased.  The US is still buying their (Chinese) stuff.  That is not to say that a decrease in consumer spending on stuff one may not really need is all bad.  The economy may need to adjust, but the adjustment becomes more difficult when teamed with technological innovations which are reducing employment opportunities.  Of course, purchasing less may be a wise environmental choice. 

Sally Forth comic strip (Google Images)

Life is full of making choices.  Before a meeting the other day I was making small talk with two colleagues about local flooding, basements and sump pumps.  One person noted that she and her spouse are soon to be building a new house, and they have decided to not have a basement.  One reason she said is not having a basement will limit their accumulation of stuff.  I then noted that my wife has been in the process of de-cluttering and our porch had a pile of boxes for pick up.  Another colleague noted that his wife is also de-cluttering, but he found it interesting that most of the stuff she is getting rid of is his.  I noted that my wife is so de-clutter driven that she may well place me on the front porch to await pick up. 

The earlier photo made my wife redo my t-shirt drawer

As we downsize and de-clutter our personal world, goods can be reused or re-purposed by others.  It is amazing what some sell in on-line forums.  One persons junk is another persons need.  As for me, if one sees me on the front porch with a pile of boxes they will know that I failed to spark joy and was set out for pick up.