Good morning, it has been about 3 and a half years now since my husband passed away, for about a year prior to his passing, I had begun the process of downsizing, packing and taking away the excess, passing items on to the Goodwill type of charities that recycle items to add to their $$s for serving the community. I have continued this practice with the exception of during the “shut downs” when the charities could not receive or process the items. As soon as they opened their doors again, the morning ritual beganagain.
Every morning I take a box(s) and or bags and fill them with items to be dropped off. ( we have a 1.5 bungalow,) my husband had two offices on the upper floor. Having been in the news media and a communication/editor he had the upstairs set up pretty much like a news room and office. From his days of being a reporter, photographer and on air newsman for the various media outlets, he had an accumulations of supplies. Till his illness became too invasive, he kept records and notes about anything that was of interest to him. that included documenting the weather changes etc. “Once a news hound, always a news hound“
I have not taken down his white boards,/black boards, or even tackled his desks yet, but bit by bit I’ve taken away books, maps, reference materials, DVDs, recorders, speakers, microphones, notebooks (ones waiting to be filled) his clocks, one for the different time zones etc. It is amazing how over the years, we accumulate odds and ends, what seems like little bits of information, ie. maps, books on various subject matter that is being researched etc.- it is 1, 2 pieces at a time, but over the years, it just becomes “stuff”
No, its not only his offices that have been slowly worked on, but my own living space… I take things out, carload at a time, and there is always more. Today, I noted, progress has been made.
“I’ll do it later. No, I’ll do it now.” to make progress do anything while its still fresh.
Perfect Liberty 2021.25
On my part, I am doing my best to weed out my closets, drawers and shelves etc. It is a cleansing process. and NO I am no longer bringing more in, something does come in, means something has to leave.
dymoonblog 
Comments on: "A Sunday moment" (12)
Good morning.see you at church.have a very good day.
Going through my closets and drawers to purge what is no longer needed is cathartic on so many levels for me. I’m actually in the middle of a purge cycle at the moment. What you’re doing, searching through your husband’s belongings, must be difficult on so many levels. I do hope there are small bursts of wonderful memories that comfort you as you continue the process.
thank you for sharing you are on a similar journey.. there is a lot to be said about decluttering our lives. sends a happy greeting your way..
That’s very disciplined of you
It’s a long process. It’s good you feel you can take your time and do a bit each day. Waves hello.
in a way I think it is a form of therapy… taking items away a little at a time, makes the absence of his presence less pronounced. He will be applauding me on..it has to be done, I know if I left it.. when I pass… it will be a mess for someone else to clean up. This way, I spend a little time each day, saying goodbye.. and I get out of the house, make a delivery, knowing someone else somewhere will enjoy finding a treasure.. one man’s junk is someone else’s …… hello dear friend… stay safe, be well and keep adventuring.
Good for you, downsizing and decluttering can be a monumental task. You’re smart to do so in a routine way. We tend to do it in fits and starts, not a process I relish, but after 30 years in the same place, needs must!
I agree that it’s a good idea to do it in bite-sized bits. Takes longer, but is less hassle and you can take a moment to cherish anything special you come across in the process. Take pictures!🙂
getting ready to call it a day, glad I got to see you had dropped in… sweet dreams!
oh yes, for me this is the only way… and when I feel the satisfaction of having gotten one more load “gone”… its rewarding.. a thunder storm is brewing… time to get ready to tuck in for I hope a great sleep… blows good night sprinkles of starlight your way.
Bad habits do die hard. I have been doing the same with my lifetime accumulation of stuff. Sometimes it’s hard to let go of that which remains beautiful or could be useful, but when you are no longer using the useful, and too much of the beautiful is clogging your breathing space, its better to put it back out into the universe where it can serve someone else. But I am not as disciplined as you, and keep filling up the hard won spaces with new stuff. Hopefully, I’ll eventually get it, but there is some satisfaction in having space to put new stuff in! 😛 Time speeds by, these days. I’m sure it still feels like yesterday that he was with you. Life moves on. Memories fade much more slowly. Many hugs and kisses to you. Keep nibbling at the edges of the obsolete. All effort requires patience. At least we leave behind less for others to sort out when we’re gone. X
I remember it well. You have come a long way X