we did it!
Auckland, New Zealand
It took us a week, but we got the garden weeded, composted and planted.
We also got the kitchen totally tidied and functioning – the rhythm of bread baking and yoghurt making is established, sprouting and fermenting are on the verge of happening, even the freezer is now stocked.
All the linen has a home – for a lot of it, that home is at the Sallies.
All the children’s toys are accessible – or at the Sallies.
All the “work boxes” (read: notebooks, journals, maths books etc) are ready-to-use.
All the sandals and gumboots are lined up in the garage (and new ones purchased for those who needed them – not from the Sallies).
The bathrooms are sparkling; the novelty of a clean shower has not worn off and willing workers keep it pristine.
Light fittings have been washed and moved (coz we had nothing else to do, y’know).
Musical instruments are available.
The computers are running and internet connected.
The garage is almost tidy.
A broken window repaired (Mr Repair Man arrived within half an hour of calling the insurance company – not bad, eh).
People have been dropping in (not that this is a job – it’s just time-consuming).
Rob spent the whole evening opening mail (that *was* a job, AND time-consuming)
There is just craft gear to sort and books to place on shelves. Possibly the two biggest jobs of them all 😉
We have lots of space that we didn’t used to have. There are empty drawers in the kitchen, empty shelves in the laundry, nothing under our bed, coathangers without a job to do in the wardrobe, big gaps on the floor.
We simply have less stuff. It’s gone to the Sallies.
But we’re still left with a lot.
When I start comparing our gear to the possessions of the family we stayed with in Mongolia or the ones living in bamboo huts in Thailand or Laos, it all seems so unfair.
What is the point of such comparison? Is anything to be gained? I could give all our stuff away, but how would that help those families? We could cut off our water and power, but what would that achieve? How would it help others?
In the midst of trying to settle into comfort, there are uncomfortable thoughts.
We might have planted the garden, but we haven’t answered the big questions.
In fact, we haven’t even asked some of them.
Tags: 2008/09, homecoming, justice, postcard: New Zealand
rayres
I have been wondering about your decluttering as I’ve seen you mention this in a couple of posts. Don’t know if you will have time to answer these questions so don’t worry if you don’t, but just in case, here they are.
What sorts of things have you been getting rid of in particular, or have you got rid of items from all areas?
I am trying to declutter at the moment, I cannot believe we have so much stuff (we moved in June from a 3 bedroom house to a huge 5 bedroom house and have filled this house up completely)!! I try to go through the cupboards/linen/clothing/toys regularly but we keep filling our house up with more stuff.
When we’ve gone away and stayed in cabins or in my parent’s sleepout we always enjoy the space (well there is no space but there is no junk either if you know what I mean). There is so much less to tidy and sort because we take the absolute basics. But I can’t seem to get rid of anything except a few things here and there and after Christmas when we seem to have accumulated a lot more stuff it is hard to see my decluttering making a dent.
Also, how do you manage boxes of used clothing waiting for smaller children to use? Or do you children wear things out before growing out of them?
I am much more ruthless than I once was and keep only the clothes which are in good condition and then often find that the next child down won’t wear half of them as they prefer different things (ie perhaps the older one loved skirts but the younger one prefers shorts) so then I wonder should I save them for another 3 years for the next one down or just get new stuff when the next child needs it?
And how do you keep art work stuff (paper, colouring/activity books, pens, pencils, stamps etc etc) in order? How do you decide what toys to keep?
I think I would love the opportunity to move far away somewhere since we’d have to get rid of so much stuff, would be great to start off with a clean slate.
Sounds like you are really on top of things/daily routine now. Vegie garden looks good. Take care, love Louise
Welcome home Rach!