I am THE janitor at the museum. I clean the toilets(yuck) and empty the trash and scrub some floors and Swiffer and vacuum (Far Guy Vacuums for me on the days he works.) I dust and I think I am so happy every surface of my home is not like a museum..or is it?
Many wealthy people are little more than janitors of their possessions. - Frank Lloyd Wright
I am not wealthy BUT I still have more than my fair share of possessions. In the past few days and I have been saying to myself “Self you must get rid of some of your stuff.” and “Self for every one thing you purchase two things should leave the house.”
For a long time I did not buy anything unless it could be used up, eaten or recycled.
( Books can be recycled ..so they don’t count.)
Some people can find a purpose for almost anything! This Tin Man caught my eye last weekend.
This is a silver plated platter with another dish and a piece of gaudy jewelry..Garden Art!
Certainly some of the “stuff” I have can be reworked to be something special?
I hate dusting..I hate dusting some of my stuff..I hate this time of year when the cobwebs seem to grow by the minute..and if you let them go for a day or two..oh my.
Are you a janitor to your “stuff”? Have you ever planned to retire from being a janitor to your stuff? How is that working for you?:)
Nope. Not at all. Actually in retirement I'm the "simplify" guy. I'm not leaving my son a mess to figure out and deal with someday. My spouse is the "collector" big time. Waste not want not. Never through away cause you might need it some day... There are boxes of check from the sixties cause someone might say we didn't pay our bills. Then there is the "cleanliness is next to godliness issue. You can safely eat off the kitchen floos in our house. That's her. On the other hand I'm the "everything in it's place" guy so you can find it. I hate clutter.... Actually it's a miracle we've stayed together for almost fifty years. And... oops sorry. I think your question set me off! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm so with you on this issue. In the past 3-4 years I have cleaned out, more like purged my house, but it doesn't look like I've done anything. I'm a firm believer in the fact that "some" possessions make a house more homey, but after raising 5 kids, there are waaay too many of those possessions still here. So I'm still on my quest to purge. In the photography community there's a saying, KISS. Keep it simple, stupid. And another one. Less is more. Those are my goals lately. I hate to dust too, so the less there is, the less housework I have to do and the more time I can spend photographing.
ReplyDeleteMy husband, on the other hand, keeps everything that doesn't run away from him. I liken his spaces to an episode of "Sandford & Son".
Dusting, what on earth are you talking about? Am I supposed to do that AND vacuum? Oh, bother!
ReplyDeleteI've been gradually parting with some of my "stuff," but hang on to others. After all, there wouldn't be museums if people hadn't saved "stuff" in the past. ;oD
Since I just moved, I've gotten rid of a lot of stuff that I thought I needed but don't, obviously. It feels nice to see clean surfaces and bare walls, at least for now. My husband gets rid of everything that isn't nailed down, but I am a gatherer. I am trying to be more like him as I get older. But yes, I am a janitor to my possessions; that's why will try to keep them to a minimum! :-)
ReplyDeleteWe've been working on de-cluttering out home for the past several months to ready it for sale. And having packed many things and out them in storage, we are finding that we have not missed them in the past several months. Andy like yourself, I also try to work on not buying anything unless it replaces something...sometimes that actually works for me!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for doing one of the hardest jobs ever tackled by a home owner.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny. I'm not a saver and I don't like clutter, but for some reason I've taken up antiquing. It's seems to contradict my original not a saver values, doesn't it? But I am picky about what I bring into the house. It's not like we go antiquing every week. The bigger issue for me is living where our business is run, inheriting a lot of "stuff" because of buying house and business from in-laws who lived here for forty years before us. They were both savers. The business has shops and outbuildings that are pretty full. We don't want to leave an overwhelming mess of junk for our kids to go through after we're gone. Since my father-in-law passed away, my husband has been going through and getting rid of, little by little as he has time.
ReplyDeleteWhy is it we KISS people marry the gatherers? We have been battling this issue for 54 years...no satisfying solutions so far, but I keep hoping!
ReplyDeleteWe have cut WAY back on the number of things we have to make it easier to keep our tiny house clean. I did purchase a few cabinets to enclose the most sentimental pieces and at least I don't have to dust them often.
ReplyDeleteI quit being the janitor of our stuff when I couldn't keep up with all the stuff that the hubby keeps bringing home! I keep it neat and that is about all I can keep up with! I personally hate it and if I could I would get rid of 50 percent of everything that is in the house! I am getting a good progress on my arm but still have quite a bit of work left to do yet. I was told that it could take up to two to three months before it is any where near what it needs to be!
ReplyDeleteSpider webs are part of the ecology of my house and that's my story and i'm sticking to it.
ReplyDeleteHey! I need the dust to show me exactly where to put something back after I've used it--LOL!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously--yes--I am the organizing janitor of all my stuff--which I love! Except for some nicknacks, I pretty much use the majority of what is here in my cluttered art & craft haven. It may take me a long while, but I rotate around through all the organized clutter of supplies for my various projects over time. I have been thinning out a few things as I am currently sorting. Not much so far, but a couple of bags left with Caroline last week...and I have a ways to go. ;)
I have been having garage sales. Anything that doesn't sell goes to the Salvation Army or some other charity. I still have way too much stuff.
ReplyDeleteHaha. I like Jan's reply. :o)
ReplyDeleteMy mom was never a duster, so that's probably where I get it from.
Have a wonderful Sunday!
For every item I give to Goodwill my husband adds 2-3. He is a collector of "stuff"; claims it is all valuable antiques worth something someday. The only solution I have come up with is to make a move out of state. The cost of the movers will force him to part with his valuable stuff very quickly. Dusting is something I do weekly but don't enjoy. A leftover from my days as a child and Mom would make me dust.
ReplyDeleteI love my stuff- mostly because it was my mother's. I look at the stuff and remember her laughter- her voice, her hugs. And then I pick it up, dust it off, and place it reverently on the shelf.
ReplyDeleteThe dusty stuff? It heals my heart.
When we moved in '07 we gave away so many items. Then when we moved last year, we got rid of more. I still need to pare down my stuff. I'm an 'occasional' janitor to my stuff. I let it go until even I can't stand it!
ReplyDeleteI suppose we are lucky, after being together in that little condo for so long, we got rid of many "things". I was not going to pay to ship them up here, and we needed to clean out the clutter before putting it up for sale.
ReplyDeleteNow we have a bigger space, and are still trying to keep it down. It's a real trend among the magazine crowd...
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I have minimal possessions - if I don't use it or love it, it has to go! And an ostrich feather duster can dust a whole room in two minutes - honestly, try one :-) Jo
ReplyDeleteSpending a couple of years disposing of three people's things in one house and a garage, I do look at possessions in a whole different manner. I think if I had to make a move that things would clear up a lot in our household.
ReplyDeletedon't ask, don't tell
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