During the lockdown part of the pandemic, a lot of things happened simultaneously:
I read Marie Kondo again, and, she had a television show on cable for a while about her “sparks joy” cleaning method which was slightly less draconian than the book. Turns out she’d had a kid and life got messy, as it always does. I never could advocate throwing all my clothes in the middle of the floor, but I did pile folded clothes from a dresser and then later, hung clothes from a closet on the bed and neatly go through them. Books did get thrown on the floor and it was great. The one lasting thing I learned is how to fold laundry and put it in drawers so you can see everything you have. My drawers all close now. I have less because I can only have what fits in each drawer.
More effective for me was the show “Swedish Death Cleaning,” which if you haven’t watched it or read their materials, I strongly advocate. The idea of doing it so your loved ones don’t have to so resonates with me. They break it down so easily and carefully and involve lots of people who are on board. It’s lovely and is applicable to many forms of considering death. It’s the “Queer Eye” of Death – bring tissues.
Turns out a whole lot of thinking about death lead to a rebirth, as well.
It’s been 10 years since we renovated. I’m redecorating small places that make me happy. Dave says I’m “nesting.” It feels like the next logical part of this new beginning as I move into retirement.
I continue to let go of work, of board committees, of responsibilities. It’s good to be ready for the next chapter in my heart and in my home.
- Dave and I started thinking seriously about death and dying. We had our wills updated.
- Our bank branch closed, and we had to buy a fireproof house safe and clean out our safety deposit boxes.
- I started agitating for a place to lay our heads after death. What if one of us died during COVID? This became more urgent as the whole world faced the possibility of death. Dave was fine being thrown in the ocean. I was not. So rather than spend eternity up in New York where the family plot is, we bought plots in the green cemetery at Monastery of the Holy Spirit, not far from our home.
- I started cleaning, slowly, in multiple places over that year.
I read Marie Kondo again, and, she had a television show on cable for a while about her “sparks joy” cleaning method which was slightly less draconian than the book. Turns out she’d had a kid and life got messy, as it always does. I never could advocate throwing all my clothes in the middle of the floor, but I did pile folded clothes from a dresser and then later, hung clothes from a closet on the bed and neatly go through them. Books did get thrown on the floor and it was great. The one lasting thing I learned is how to fold laundry and put it in drawers so you can see everything you have. My drawers all close now. I have less because I can only have what fits in each drawer.
More effective for me was the show “Swedish Death Cleaning,” which if you haven’t watched it or read their materials, I strongly advocate. The idea of doing it so your loved ones don’t have to so resonates with me. They break it down so easily and carefully and involve lots of people who are on board. It’s lovely and is applicable to many forms of considering death. It’s the “Queer Eye” of Death – bring tissues.
Turns out a whole lot of thinking about death lead to a rebirth, as well.
It’s been 10 years since we renovated. I’m redecorating small places that make me happy. Dave says I’m “nesting.” It feels like the next logical part of this new beginning as I move into retirement.
I continue to let go of work, of board committees, of responsibilities. It’s good to be ready for the next chapter in my heart and in my home.
RSS Feed