Taking inventory

Regarding personal belongings, home decor and lifestyle: many of you know I've been ceaselessly working on simplification of/ re-organization of STUFF. Besides 'fall cleaning' of the home environment, the ultimate goal here is for a healthier happier lifestyle.
Not too shabby a goal, eh whot?

My intentions are sincere and efforts commendable. However, the occasional reality-check-moment reveals that it is unlikely I'll ever achieve the simplicity of my fantasies.

I find a fair amount of organized clutter rather soothing. Looking around at clean (not boring) unobstructed lines in a room is something I can appreciate. So is the joy derived from viewing my belongings (arranged in pleasing-to-gaze-upon vignettes, of course). Singularly or combined, a few of my favourite things (obvious link, but I could not resist) contributes to validating my essence - moreover, defines HOME.

No doubt you've seen DIY Home Improvement shows where a house is 'staged' to be sold. The decor is simplified to the point of losing all personality of the current home dwellers. Hide the photographs, ditto with personal mementos and chotkes. Display fewer dishes in the kitchen cabinets, clean out some food so your larder doesn't looked crammed. Arrange clothes in the closet to make the space look larger. Pick up the dirty laundry, get rid of the kitty litter box (better yet, farm the pets out for the duration!). The place ends up looking like a stripped down hotel or model home. All the better for potential buyers to imagine themselves living there.
But not for day-to-day living.

My mantra is Keep the Personality, but Lose Some of the Clutter.
In the home as well as relationships, I reckon.
Fingers crossed.

Two more difficult to define concepts that are new to me: shibui and iki. Both are applicable to aesthetics, but are actually more descriptive of a way of being.

Ah - so very Zen...that it hurts my poor feeble brain.
It's madness, energy depleting and ultimately futile , but I will continue to strive for A Tad Less is a Lot More.

Tomorrow I will tackle purging my socks/pantyhose. Baby steps to a larger ideal. After I move the colored tights to the Goodwill bag, I'll start working on streamlining my relationships. Whatever that might mean.

Wish me luck. This could take years.

Are we having fun yet?
YES.