Decluttering your life, your WIP, your closet – by Vijaya Schartz

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Minimalism is on the rise. In the aftermaths of the pandemic, we developed an appreciation for uncluttered living spaces. Besides, clutter is unhealthy, can cause depression… or harbor ghosts of your past. After decluttering, you will be healthier, happier, and free to move on with your life.

Eight years ago, I left a husband and his big house to live with my cat in a tiny apartment. Since then, I moved again, and each move is an opportunity to get rid of clutter. And despite the fact that I am a minimalist at heart, I still have to remind myself to declutter from time to time. Usually, it’s when I run out of hangers, or I can’t find the top I want to wear in the impossibly tight closet.

As our body changes, we buy new clothes but keep the old ones. Just in case? Why? Get rid of the clothes you no longer wear, like old bras that don’t fit anymore. If you ever lose the weight to fit in those skinny jeans again, they will be out of style and you’ll want to buy new ones anyway. Get rid of the shoes that hurt your feet, tired flannel shirts, cropped tops from another decade, work clothes from a previous job, etc.

As I’m turning in my October release to the publisher, ANGEL SHIP, Book One of a new sci-fi series with romantic elements titled Blue Phantom, I thought a few days of decluttering would keep me busy while waiting for the edits.

Here is the stunning cover of ANGEL SHIP
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But this is easier said than done. I still have favorite shirts from two decades ago. I know I can never wear them in public, but I still love them. I don’t go out very often, and except for maybe four times a year, I only wear yoga pants, sports bras, and loose tops while typing away at my computer or going to my Tai-Chi classes.

To make it easier on your soul, start with a smaller space, like your car. Then you can move to the trash, the broken things, the chipped mugs and plates, the reminders of unhappy times, the junk drawer, old jewelry. Trash the unflattering photos and digitalize the good ones. Get rid of expired medications, expired food in the fridge and kitchen cabinets. Extra kitchen utensils, bowls, pans, spatulas. Donate, recycle the empty plastic jars, have a yard sale, sell the good stuff on eBay, etc.

My dilemma is often what do I trash? What do I donate? Sometimes, it’s difficult to be objective, and I need another pair of eyes. A friend can give you sound advice in that matter.

As a writer, the same goes with your manuscript. Clarity is key. You don’t want to confuse the reader with too many characters and unnecessary details. You can sometimes consolidate two or three secondary characters into one who will serve the same purpose. Also, if a subplot doesn’t enhance the main story, get rid of it. Give your characters breathing room, so they can be free to express their true feelings on the page.

In the meantime, enjoy the last of summer. Almost time to take out the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations… Then it will be Christmas again… then New Year.

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Vijaya Schartz, author

Strong Heroines, Brave Heroes, cats

http://www.vijayaschartz.com

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Oh the horrors of downsizing—Tricia McGill.

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Most of us have done it at some time or another, depending on our age or marital status—moved house I mean.

I am in the process of selling the third house I have owned. I have been in this house 26 years come June 1^st, and I love this place. It was the first one my husband and I saw through from the bare plot to the completed build. Unfortunately, he only lived in it for five years before passing, so as you can imagine, it contains many memories. We laid out our garden together and it is now flourishing and admired.

I never considered downsizing and always told people I would be here until carried out, but the time has come to move into a village where I will be amongst people of my own era and where I will have around the clock security—a valuable asset in this day and age. I have got into the habit of clearing out unwanted stuff over the last few years, but needless to say enough is never enough when you are deciding what to part with and what to keep. I have no children so the job of sorting through my stuff when I am gone will fall to my nieces, and I have no wish to over burden them with going through the process of the big clean up. I have friends with horror stories of the mess their parents left behind—often years and years of collecting what can only be termed as junk.

The selling agents have a word for what we must do to make our home presentable for prospective buyers and this word is decluttering. At first, I felt insulted—how dare they suggest that my beloved bits and pieces, lovingly collected over many years, is no more that clutter to them.  However, I have been zealous in my efforts, and have managed to whittle it down. Some went to friends, some went off in the council waste collection truck, and some ended up in the regular garbage pickup. Oh, then there's the local op shop where one man's trash is anothers treasure.

The worst room to declutter has been my study. In the process of getting rid of stuff, you come across letters, photos or documents that haven’t been seen for years. A while back, I scanned all my photos so they are safely on file to be passed on. After my dear sister passed away, I was left to sort through a massive box load of pictures collected over her lifetime and it took me a while to sort and scan these. The family can do as they please with them, but at least they are all safely there and sorted into years on my computer.

 So here I am, moving on to start a new phase in my life, and looking forward to making new friends. I chose this village because they welcome pets, and I could never think of going anywhere without my two little dogs.

One good thing about changing abode, all remains the same on our trusty computer no matter where we are.

Coming very soon Challenging Mountains-Book 3 in my Settlers series