hoarding

I realized recently that I had too much stuff.  Actually it's been a process since moving into this house.  Our house is big enough for me to have place for everything I ever want to have, mostly.  And I find myself having too much stuff.  So I'm trying to "Use it up, wear it out.  Make it do, or do without."  I'm using art supplies.  Using fabric.  Discarding old records that aren't important.  Donating things we don't use.

The nice thing about all those moves we made 3-4 years ago is that it helped me put an exact point on how long it's been since we used these things.  And I don't plan to move again soon, but I realize how silly it is to move with things I never use.

It's nice to have nice things.  One of the lessons from Waldorf is to let children have nice things, and use nice art supplies.  I really like that.  I like for them to paint and the colors are super vibrant because they are using excellent paint.  I like it when they are doing a project and the paper doesn't just disintegrate because the paper is wet.  We don't do crafts often enough.  But I'm hoping to let them use up my supplies, and that won't be any time soon.  If we use something up, maybe we'll get some more.  But what's the point of saving it?  So that someday when they've lost interest in arts, I'll have plenty of supplies to offer them?

G really likes to paint the grand canyon.   Tomorrow I'm going to give him a piece of my super nice water color block and let him paint.  He's tried painting it on cheaper paper and it wrinkles etc... he gives up.  So tomorrow I'm going to paint with him.  I need to use the good resources while he's interested.

I think that it's easy to see the value of things and forget the purpose of their value.  And then, focusing on their value, you find more on sale, so you get them, even though you don't need them.

Luckily I'm sort of a miser so I don't buy resources, but I tend to collect free things.  But I also feel like I don't want to live in mess.  So if something is not used, and useful to my home, it can go.  I can even let the kids go to it and let them use it up.  I feel really grateful for this freedom of psyche.  I know it's uncommon.  I think the Waldorf extravagance has been a real blessing to me in this way.  Have quality things.  Let kids use quality supplies.  Teach them that they are nice things and should be taken care of.  It shows kids a value of their effort because it's not just trash.  But then it's also high quality enough to be re-purposed into a candle holder or cut up into shapes to decorate for a holiday.   It also shows the kids that they are worth good supplies.  Where we don't care so much about fancy clothes, we can spare some care for art and music and books.

Ahhh books.  P and I need to have a conversation about books.  Every time we get more, I make room.  But we're maxing out.  It's nice having a lot of books.  Not every book needs to live in our house though.  Oh well...  At least none live in the garage.  I feel like if a book can't live in your home, it should go.  But we have  a lot more bookshelves than most people...  So we haven't had to cross that bridge so far.