Colorado Bound, My Minimalism Journey

Never Stop to Think…Do I Have A Place for This?

tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

So I told myself I would not allow myself to post again until I caught up on all the blogs I follow. Alas, I have not made a dent in catching up on my blogging buddies’ posts, but what the heck, I am going to sneak in a quick post 🙂

This is a follow up to my post 03/17/19 post Library MEGA Stack!. One of the books in the stack was Mary Randolph Carter’s book Never Stop to Think…Do I Have A Place for This? I might have to buy this book someday as I so enjoyed it and it was the perfect book to give me peace right now.

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Image credit: Amazon

Those of you following my blog for a while know that I’ve dabbled in Minimalism (see series of posts My Minimalism Journey). I’ve been successful in downsizing over the years and Marie Kondo’s (author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing) quote has gotten me through the letting go of my husband’s stuff after he passed in December 2018):

The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past. – Marie Kondo

I’ve been working on packing for my move to Colorado (see series of posts Colorado Bound) and I would not recommend packing as a hobby. Here is an example of the current nightmare:

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I’ve been struggling with the amount of crafting supplies I am bringing with me to Colorado. However after reading Mary Randolph Carter’s book I am more peaceful and accepting of my stuff. She had a wonderful chapter on Guilt and discusses her own investigation and readings into minimalism in a very thoughtful way.

Even Marie Kondo states you should have in your life only those things that ‘spark joy’ and my craft supplies bring me a lot of joy (as does my ridiculous collection of crafting related books).

So I decided to “Never Stop to Think…Do I Have A Place for This?” when it comes to the craft supplies I love!

Mary Randolph Carter also has another wonderful book – A Perfectly Kept House is the Sign of a Misspent Life.

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In my spousal loss grief support group, the facilitator emphasized that the person you were (your core will stay the same) before the loss of your spouse will likely change. Such a major life loss permanently changes you in some way. I definitely see myself lightening up on rules I’ve tried to live by in the past.

I doubt I will become someone featured in the television show “Hoarders” in the future but I am not going to hesitate (as long there is no harm to others) to do what makes me happy and not really care what others think!

Postscript

As I mentioned in a previous post, I did decided to rent a 2 bedroom apartment in Colorado, instead of the 1 bedroom I had originally planned. I am very excited about my nearly 1200 square feet (111.5 square meters) apartment and I’ve already begun decorating it in my mind!

In a future post I will share my new plan for fabric scraps organization at my new place. And of course I have a zillion other things to blog about 🙂

Okay now back to trying to catch up on my blogging buddies posts!

Published by tierneycreates: a fusion of textiles and smiles

Quilter, crafter, obsessive tea drinker and lover of all furry creatures (especially dogs and cats) - join me on my tierneycreates blog as I share stories from "A Crafter's Life".

36 thoughts on “Never Stop to Think…Do I Have A Place for This?”

  1. This was a great post. I agree with your thoughts. We all need to have our own rules and to what makes us comfortable.
    Good job.
    Cheers

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Great post Tierney! You can label me with the 2nd book! So much the perfectionist that I am.
    Sorry for your loss. I was not aware. I do hope that the move will be a positive one for you. Hubby and I each lost a son in 2015 and 2017 and it takes time and it also changes one! So I think you should take ALL of your crafts with you!

    Have a blessed week!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks so much! Yes it’s been nearly 4 months now but I’ve taken one day at a time and I’m very excited about my move in my new adventure in Colorado. I’m so sorry for your loss that is rough! Virtual hugs to you!

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  5. Way to go Tierney. You are speaking to my heart right now. I can’t wait to see you. I have a surprise here……. And yes I believe I need to check out Mary Randolph Carter’s book. I am transitioning and getting rid of long time stuff that I have hung on to for too long. Guilt was definitely part of my past but now it’s about joy.

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  6. I never obey myself either when I say I can’t do something until. , , LOL. Judging from your references (haven’t read either), I think the two books you mentioned are both important and balance each other nicely.

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    1. My dear Dane your English surpasses mine as I’ve mentioned before, as I had to look up what “GTD” is! Thanks for your comment 🙂
      (scary when the non native English speakers surpass the native English speakers – ha!)

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  8. So very sorry for your loss, Tierney. I am also really behind in my blog reading so I didn’t realise before now. Best of luck with your move to Colarado and I think you’re quite right to focus on what makes you happy right now. Sending every good wish your way.

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  9. Love the Marie Kondo quote! If it helps… when we moved out of state we considered how much everything cost per pound to move and if the items could be purchased for less than the cost of moving them, they stayed. Of course this doesn’t include sentimental items.

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  12. I love that book! I put it on hold after reading about the author on your blog, and I can see how it’s the perfect guide for this stage of your packing (the homes in it are beautiful, btw). Having moved 8 times in the last decade, I remember each time being a huge upheaval! Lots of shedding, but lots of keeping, too. I love how you’ve blended Carter’s and Kondo’s home decor philosophies to come up with something that serves you. You are so right – we must keep the things that bring us joy (great to hear about the extra square footage: more room for more joy, of course! 🙂

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    1. Very good! I think you will enjoy it! Wow that is a lot of moving! I won’t complain about my move anymore – ha! I am so glad I decided to get more space and I am having so much fun staring at my new floor plan and decorating it in my head 🙂

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  13. I like the idea of letting go of things belonging to the person you were. But like how I finally gave away my office clothes which I hadn’t worn since I retired four years ago. I have a lot of even older things to say goodbye to.
    Good luck with the packing.

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    1. Well I am trying to think of all those people who are now enjoying the things I gave up and it led to less stuff to move 🙂
      I agree with you on moving, it will be challenging to get myself to move again!

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  16. Great to hear from you! Good luck. It makes no sense indeed to throw away what gives you you. I met an awesome quilter lady who told me she converted her living room into a quilting studio because of space and it wasn’t in anyone’s way. She loved it

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  17. I too found that getting rid of things that bring you joy is a bad idea. I’ve done it following those well-known minimalistic “wisdoms” along the lines of “If you are not using it, you don’t need it” – too many tea pots and sewing machines but looking at them brings me joy and now I miss the joy! Indeed, I don’t need more than one tea pot for making tea, but it doesn’t make much of a display there all alone, and how can you get rid of a tea pot shaped like a sewing machine when you love both sewing machines and tea? That’s like two of your most favourite things in one, although not very practical for making tea. My solution was to get rid of minimalism, now that I’m not using it any longer. 😉

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