My dear readers,
Remember when Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, came out?
Neither did I. Google does– it was 2011, and was released in the US in 2014. But it wasn’t until the January 2019 Netflix series that full-on Kondo-ing fever hit. All of a sudden, thrift shops and donation bins everywhere were overflowing with good stuff. We all wanted to get rid of whatever no longer brought us joy. And yes, I joined the throw-out brigade.
But that was six years ago. In the meantime, stuff has built back up. And not just stuff: the grime and residue and smudginess of habits and ruts and plans (even new pandemic-provoked ones) created too much complexity, too much mess. Some of us (by us I mean me) thought that by tweaking or shifting around or reconfiguring, we (I) could juggle all the things (physical and mental) to function efficiently and happily.
It’s now five years later, and I’m in need of a full Marie Kondo treatment– not just of my stuff, but of my life habits. Back in 2016, I wrote about Marie Kondo here, concluding that, for my workouts, more was still more. And during the pandemic, Sam was on Team More, doing more and more varied workouts. I was on Team Less can be More. Fast forward to now, I’m joining Team Less Life Clutter. How to do that? Here are some ideas I came up with:
Fewer streaming services– I mean, how many spy suspense series and cooking shows can I actually watch while I have a job? I’m dropping Apple+ and Hulu. Keeping Netflix, Amazon Prime, and PBS (public tv app, which is awesome). We’ll see how long Amazon Prime stays around…
Fewer clothes– I’m going on a serious buy nothing* plan starting this January (*except basics that urgently need replacing and stuff from my favorite consignment shop, provided I bring things to consign, too).
Fewer books—ACK! *breathing* I have way too much books that I’ve already read or won’t read or don’t need. Plus, I have many books that I WANT to read, but they’re not organized or easily accessible. Imma organize them so I can see the vast selection I own, and put the brakes on buying for a while* (*except for book club books I can’t get from the library or something urgently needed for research).
Fewer and simpler physical activity plans—for the next two months, I’m cutting back my list of exercise activities to three: 1) one yoga class per week; 2) one trip to the gym per week; 3) ride my bike trainer once per week. Let’s see how that goes. If two weeks goes by and I don’t do all three, I’ll cut back to two, and so on until I do at least one of these every week for 4 weeks. Then I can build back up. I got so caught up in work and family stuff and social stuff that I lost consistent regular workouts. I want them back.
Less variety in my meditation– I’ve used the Happiness app (formerly Ten Percent Happiness) since 2020, and I’ve noticed that I gravitate towards the same 15–20 guided meditations and 5–6 teachers. I’m also doing more unguided meditation.
I used to think I should switch it up more and get exposed to more meditation teachers, more approaches, more variations on practice. But I’m really happy with the meditation practice I’ve embedded in my life. I do 10–20 minutes first thing in the morning, every morning. I *might* do another session in the afternoon if I’m feeling extra leisurely and contemplative. But honestly, the morning sesh fixes me up for the day.
Fewer classes to teach—I teach a four-course/semester load at my university (which is a LOT), and in addition, have been teaching at least one overload course per semester for extra money. This year, I’m getting rid of the extra course as soon as possible (maybe this spring, but definitely in the fall, and no summer school teaching!) I really enjoy teaching, but have noticed that I can’t really maintain the quality of focus I want and need when I teach so many courses. Luckily I have a little wiggle room to cut back.
Less gear: I’m selling my ultra-light speedy kayak that I bought myself as a 60th birthday gift. Here we are back in 2022.
I was very excited to get my own boat, and loved how light it was (27 lbs/13kg). However, it just didn’t suit me in the end. So I’m letting it go. I may buy a used tandem recreational kayak if I can find a good deal. We shall see. I already have all the gear I need for it (except for one more paddle and PFD/life jacket). I’m also letting go of my old squash racket and tennis racket. I haven’t used them in a while, and they deserve good homes.
Looking at my decluttering list, I didn’t mention lots of things I really love– swimming, kayaking (in other boats), walking in nature, travel to nature places, fun outdoorsy adventures, possible new activities (full disclosure: I’m planning a bungie fitness class with my friend Martin sometime this winter, and want to take some parkour fitness again, too). BUT: I really need some decluttering before take on anything new. So, it’s time to let go. Less is less, but it’s not nothing!
Dear readers, do you have plans for decluttering any parts of your activity life this coming year? Are you adding to your schedule? Happy as you are? I’d love to hear from you.
