Does all this stuff make you happy?

August 2, 2008 in Life is a Verb

The August issue of Skirt! magazine features an essay from 37days – "Let go of your legal pad" – perhaps you will enjoy it. Perhaps it will prompt you to finally get rid of that dress you bought in 1976 for that magical moment when you lost that last 10 pounds. The one with the tags still on it?

Perhaps it will cause you to ask whether your Stuff is helping or hindering you. Maybe it will help you disencumber.

What’s interesting about many of the essays people are submitting about their last 37 days is their focus on cleaning up, clearing out, making sure the house looks good for the funeral. Our Stuff is killing us. Let’s do something about that, shall we? Why spend those last 37 days worrying about Aunt Gertrude coming in and finding all your mess after the funeral? Wouldn’t you rather be eating ding-dongs?

Here’s your challenge: 10 minutes a day for the next 37 days. Clear out Stuff for 10 minutes a day just for 37 days. It’ll make a difference. Set a timer. Go.

(Um, no, Mama. That’s NOT a photo of my desk. Could it be? I’m not sayin.’)

About Patti Digh

Patti Digh is an author, speaker, and educator who builds learning communities and gets to the heart of difficult topics. Her work over the last three decades has focused on diversity, inclusion, social justice, and living and working mindfully. She has developed diversity strategies and educational programming for major nonprofit and corporate organizations and has been a featured speaker at many national and international conferences.

5 comments to " Does all this stuff make you happy? "


Brenda Clark

August 2, 2008 AT 9:03PM

Hi
A friend sent me a link to your blog post “Let Go of Your Legal Pad” which was both hilarious and sad.
I started a campaign to get rid of stuff somewhat accidentally — changes in circumstance and no place to put things plus some kind of general mood shift. But I’m noticing that stuff wants to creep back — perhaps because the habit to save things has been a habit for so long? Although I did notice I was in a store not long ago — one filled with things that I would have purchased in some other version of my life — but I was content to just look at them and leave them there.
You may have talked about this elsewhere on the blog — but what do you do about what my grandmother would have called “backsliding”?

Sharon

August 2, 2008 AT 11:02PM

I like this thinking–a lot. I’ve struggled with stuff, wanting to keep it, wanting to shed. I can definitely deal with 10 minutes a day. Off to grab the timer . . . .

Thanks!

jylene

August 3, 2008 AT 7:33AM

my sister and i just had this discussion last week –the temptation to spend part of our last 37 days getting our things in order for the people we leave behind. i have already wasted enough of my time in this life cleaning and keeping things neat and orderly. now when i look at my house, it’s not perfect but it’s good enough. i have learned to let it slide a little and it has been very freeing. altho, it is frustrating when i am trying to find something and can’t remember where i put it. i definitely used to be more organized! hopefully, when my 37 days are up, the important things will be in order, but as for the rest, my poor family is on their own.

Becky

August 4, 2008 AT 1:39PM

That’s the blessing of moving–the clearing out. I love being clutter free (or as close as I’ve ever been) now.

zen

August 6, 2008 AT 12:00PM

I have been spending my whole adult life learning to let go of things. Coming from a long line of hoarders it is not an easy task. I am mostly stuck in all the typical areas…might need it some day and as soon as I throw it away I will find what it goes to…what if there’s something important in that pile of papers and I toss it accidentally, my friend, mom, sister, kid’s made it, picked it out for me as a gift, and will be hurt if I get rid of it…I can’t let it go it’s too sentimental…

And just plain overwhelmed by the task at times. I have been doing this particular ten minute (or all day if the mood strikes me) challenge. I learned a long time ago that donating to Goodwill feels like at least it’s helping someone else and not throwing it away. Of course, I probably send them things THEY throw away, but I’m ok with it.

Next plan is the hazardous waste pick up this weekend for all the old paint cans etc that are disintegrating in my garage, and a professional paper shredder event, whenever one comes up!

Then I’m pretty darn done. (Well with my house anyway!) I don’t want to spend my last 37 days looking for all my important paperwork so my husband will have it!