Decluttering: d e c l u t t e r i n g….

It is a craze that has hit the  world. In some parts of the developed world it is big business. People throng to Meeting rooms where a young Oriental lady demonstrates how to fold a gaudy, unruly looking shirt into a neat rectangle. One can accommodate a hundred of these in a drawer. Scarcity gave way to Plenty and with it came the tendency to hoarding as a result of which one added umpteen items, needed as well as not so needed, until our houses were brimming with items, goods, clothes and ornaments so much so that we practically tripped over things. But that did not deter us from adding more in the next High Street sale. Our neighbours had some items which we didn’t really need but we just had to have it too. And so,it went on.

How often do we declutter a room? And then put back items where they were? And so, the collection of dubious requisites continued. So now comes the Declutter Expert! She herself had been a victim of Clutter but suddenly, Eureka! She found the answer. She explains how to do it. “Hang a tote bag on the outer door handle. Put in it unnecessary clothes and other items not in use. When leaving the room take the bag away and give it to Charity or just get rid of it.” Important point! Do not look at what is in the bag. Decluttering has been extended not only to items and things like clothes, ornaments, books (that you hope you will find the time to read) and travel souvenirs, but also to one’s jobs, redundant partners, unhelpful friends, troublesome employments, to mention a few. The Declutter Specialist goes on to say, ‘First identify the things you want to keep either in the room, the kitchen, the garden, the employment, marriage, family and friends. Then apply ‘Declutter’ action to all others.’

Let’s think of it in a different way:

You’ll separate want from waste.

You will not act in haste.

For what you want, you have space;

The other things disappear with grace.

But there are two sides to the story. Consider the matter from another angle.

Everything in its own place

Is like a clock which has no face

Like and elephant with no tail

How can he brush off a tick or snail?

Clutter, besides, is more interesting

Like a garden with blooms bursting

Like a fruit seller with apples and pears

Take them off! He’s reduced to tears.

Clutter makes the town to flourish

Full of wares and foods to nourish

Take them away, pull them down

The place becomes a real Ghost town

Problem is the human race

Most good, some a ‘waste of space’

Even I ask the Powers that be

From this world, please declutter me!

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Reported by: Zita Perera Subasinghe

References: Decluttering by Kon Mari method from The Week magazine in September 2018, Various talks on BBC Radio, Internet sites for diagrams. The verses are mine.