unstuffing the stuff

It's the new year. The irony of the new year is that after getting a lot of stuff in the holidaze, all we want to do is get rid of stuff in the New Year, like losing weight and stuff like that.

After losing that thing in December, I've been into the letting go thing. Though, these ideas of holding on/letting go as it's involved with material items has always fascinated me. I've written before about healing and feng shui and clutter. I hope to some day put all these notes I've been writing on the matter to a book format eventually.

I figured out where in my body that thing I didn't know I was hanging onto was residing in my body. It was just in the lower curve of my spine. It was this thing that sat like a pea that would cause uncomfortable pain in my back if I sat up straight for too long. It created this uneven balance that made my body tired from trying to stay up. Damn, that thing has been there for a really long time. I figured it out when I was sitting at my desk and changed position and realized, this is wierd. I'm still having to remind myself it's ok to sit up and stand up straight now. Consequently, there are all sorts of other muscles in my body that are sore as my body realigns itself. It creates a new perspective on the world.

I visited the friend I had helped clear house for way back when. They've added new things, thrown out more stuff that has gone past its use. All in all a very livable and inviting home now. My friend is doing much better as well. Clearing their home has meant seriously thinking about what they want to be a part of and involved in and making sure there's a balance.

Over the break we watched the Queer Eye for the Straight Guy marathon. That show where 5 gay men who are experts in: food/wine, fashion, interior design, grooming, and culture, target a straight man and make him look better. Unlike the one or two rooms, they redo their whole life and change how they see themselves and how they see their lives. It's like getting out of the mud. Hard if you are trying to pull yourself out, easier if someone helps you out. In one sense it's like learning to live into a new self.

Another friend has a health issue that is still uncertain. I told them to clear out what's underneath their bed because it's tied to another issue they're having. They've been avoiding it like the nighttime monsters that lurked there when they were children. The physical and material representation of their fears. They've been stalling, cleaning everything else except for that spot.

SFGate had an article on the JunkMan. This guy is also a psychology major. He understand the psychology of junk and the difficulties in letting it go.

We went to IKEA the other day after work. I know, why go to IKEA when you're trying to get rid of stuff? I went to see what I could do with the stuff I have. We came out of there with $22 worth of stuff: a clock, some batteries, an alarm clock and two artificial flowers. Then when I got home I swung open all the closet doors. I'm a bit Attention Deficit Syndrome when it comes to reorganizing. I'll fix this one thing, then jump to another then jump to another. Eventually, things get fixed together. Sometimes, I'll try to concentrate on a section to free up some space. I figure though, best to open all the closet doors where I've been stashing stuff I haven't dealt with in order to visually remind myself I've been stalling.

So far, I've put away a large box that was sitting in the living room forever, and finally got a shelf and arranged some books. I dumped the recycling. Gotten rid of junk mail. It's felt good.

I've been enjoying the lack of back pain. I feel like I have more energy, probably because I'm not longer using up all this energy to hang on.

Tomorrow I'm set to help a friend clear out his clutter. I've been encouraging him for a while. He says he's ready to let go now. So that's the plan. Bags for recyclables, clothes, trash. Letting go hurts. I understand. The pain is more momentary than simply hanging on. I'm sure we'll have to do this a few more times. Then why do it at all? Because there are greater things that he wants in his life, and he knows that in order to get new things, he has to let go of the old things.