An Experiment In Conscious Dying: The Space Beween Our Things

DAY 77

Recently, I came across a fantastic blog by Miss Minimalist whose aim is to live a beautiful life with less stuff. Her blog really resonated with me. Miss Minimalist says that to regain our freedom we simply need to lighten our loads.

Given the sensitive nature of this experiment in conscious dying I had started to explore options. Initially, I had made plans for a more spacious coffin, but eventually scrapped the coffin idea completely in favour of hiring a skip; that way, I could be buried in the local rubbish dump, along with all my assorted paraphernalia...

...or perhaps I could just quietly slip away, and let the relatives sort out my junk for me.

Speaking of picking out out other people clutter...On the day Dad was diagnosed with ‘that lung cancer’ he told me that he wanted to get things sorted while he still had the chance. In other words; he wanted to get his house in order, so that we didn’t have to do it for him when he was gone. Unfortunately, his health took a serious nosedive, he died, and we ended up having to do it for him anyway. Thanks Dad.

Maybe, I could follow Dads words of wisdom (even if he didn’t get the opportunity to practice what he was preaching ) and take responsibility for exorcising my own clutter before its too late.

AGGGGGGGGH!

The mere thought of dejunking horrifies my ego!

So, I packed a rucksack and went out for a mini walk to the corner shop to clear my head. This is what I packed …

1 x Knitted sweater
2 x Socks
1 x Bottle of water
2 x Cheese/tomato sandwiches
1 x Note book
2 x Pens
1 x Wallet
1 x Mobile Phone
1 x Small First Aid Kit
1 x Distress flare gun - to be used in awful situations only.

F**k it! I refuse to be defined by my belongings any longer. The buck stops here! It’s time to put things in there proper place before I die.; to find the courage to wave goodbye to the background noise, and simplify my life.

‘ Love and fear cannot exist in the same space , so everything you are holding on to through fear is blocking you having more love in your life; clearing it allows more love to start pouring in. Fear stops you being who you truly are and doing what you came here to do; clutter clearing brings you greater clarity about your life purpose. Fear suppresses your vital life force energy; releasing clutter helps reconnect you to your own natural vitality. Letting go of clutter leaves you free to be you, which is the greatest gift you can ever give yourself.’ - Karen Kingston

In a nutshell ; clutter thwarts creativity -possessions are the ego's unsafety net - weapons of mass distraction, preventing me from saying YES to life. Simplicity on the other hand creates a vacuum, clearing the way for something new, inspiring, and uplifting.

Time for a change of scenery.

We can accomplish this by borrowing a few suitcase packing tips from Mighty Miss Minimalist

Start with a clean slate. It’s often easier to compose from scratch than fix something that’s flawed. So when you’re decluttering your closet, your living room, or your schedule, empty everything out of it first. Then, put back only those possessions (or activities) that you cherish the most.

Question every item. In a small carry-on, every item must pull its weight. Demand the same of your household possessions: have a conversation with your stuff, and ask what value it adds to your life. If the answer is “not much,” give it the heave-ho.

Set limits. To keep his bag light, a traveller might limit his pants to two, his shirts to three, and his socks to four. Use a similar strategy to keep your stuff under control: decide, for example, to own only five sweaters, fifty books, or the amount of craft supplies that’ll fit into one storage box.

Use modules. Take inspiration from packing cubes, and gather like items (cosmetics, office supplies, video games) into separate “modules.” Consolidating your stuff helps you see how much you have, weed out duplicates, and keep a lid on further accumulation.

Think versatility. To save space, light packers favour items that do double- or triple-duty (like clothes that can be dressed up or down, and layered for different climates). Use the same principle in your home: choose versatile or multi-functional items (like a sleeper sofa, or all-purpose sauté pan) over single-task ones.

Digitise. Digital music, books, and documents are not only easier to transport—they’re also easier to store. Use technology to transform physical possessions into bits and bytes: scan paperwork, convert CDs to MP3s, and buy electronic books instead of paper ones.

Live on the edge. The light traveller addresses her needs as they arise; if she runs out of toothpaste in Tokyo, she simply buys some more. Adopt a similar philosophy at home: instead of stockpiling stuff or holding on to “just in cases,” acquire things on an as-needed basis.

**For a sneaky peak into Miss Minimalists jaffalicious new book : The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life click on the link.