human : cup

The holidays are over and it’s time for me to get back on track with purging my household for simpler living—I focused on the kitchen this week.

I’ve already lived through five major reductions in household stuff (and plenty minor ones in between): 1) getting divorced, 2) moving to Seattle the first time, 3) after getting laid off, moving back to Canada (anything that didn’t fit into the small rented trailer got left behind in the dead of night), 4) moving back to Seattle, 5) moving into the condo where I currently live.

So, despite all that, in the year 2015, I have a human to cup ratio of 1:84.  If 83 of you visited at the same time, I could serve us all a beverage.

Rather than procrastinate and wait until I move home next year, I am starting to purge kitchen stuff now (the cups in the photo along with china, everyday dishes and small appliances) so that I might:

• experience simpler living with fewer household items gradually.
• reduce the stress when I do move home.
• let someone else make use of the items now.
• allow a charity to make $ from sale of the items now.
• try to squeeze out a few dollars from selling some of the china and crystal.

The exercise of taking the above photo helped me see the excess so I could prepare to let go.  It also allowed time to reflect on why I purchased or was gifted all these items.  In the “what was I thinking?” category were the Prosecco wine glasses I bought specifically for serving Bellini cocktails at brunch.  Once.

The 20 cups on the left are staying (for now).  The 64 on the right are going.  That’s 64 that will no long require my management: to be cleaned, to feel guilty about not using, to be packed and moved.  64 that will not require management by a loved one once I pass on.  My cupboards may be starting to look bare now, but for at least half the year in my simpler living plan, I will be in a much smaller home with a much smaller kitchen. By then, I hope my idea of “enough” has grown smaller too.