The Trickle-Down Effect of Decluttering

Yesterday I spent hours decluttering my kitchen. I don’t have the before photos to show you because I didn’t go into it with “blog post” in mind, but rather with a determination – born out of desperation – to make some headway in the overwhelm that is currently my life. And I feel better! I do! I think this decluttering thing has a trickle-down effect on the other areas of my life.

I have the Japanese Kon Mari book on decluttering and I’m really appreciating it. But I found I couldn’t go completely in order. I did my own tops (shirts, sweaters, etc), and that was really helpful. But I couldn’t put my heart into continuing with the rest of my clothes, and then my children’s clothes, and then my husband’s clothes, when the upstairs was so out of control.

I mentioned the rat in the toilet here, right? It’s been going on for 6 months now with only two sightings, but with plenty of splashes to make us aware of his presence. And honestly, it was cute, and small, and not as frightening as one would think (my friends named him Rémy from Ratatouille) – particularly when, for the first few weeks I was in denial about what the splashing could be.

But then. Earlier this week. I was minding my own business, brushing my teeth in the hallway outside the bathroom when some black movement caught the corner of my eye. It was a HUGE rat head approaching the seat of the toilet. And he had approached by stealth because I hadn’t heard any splashing at all. I am not generally a wimp, but I SCREAMED. And then I curled up for two days in a fetal position.

Anyway. Why am I telling you this, apart from giving you a vision to haunt the rest of your live-long days?

There has just been a LOT going on. Kids home, bank administration, government administration, US taxes, RATS waiting to attack vulnerable places… and me – a complete ball of stress. I had to go to the osteopath just to get her to unclench my jaw so I could open my mouth more than half an inch.

I’m doing much better now. The osteo did wonders. The rat guy came – strong ex-fireman. Type you want to do the dirty work. Basically we have to stop the compost until we get rid of the problem, and we need to declutter a bit outside – the tiles and beams of wood that are waiting to be built into a structure. We threw out the bale of straw that was for our garden. He put poison everywhere, including in the two accesses we have to the sewage. I expect this will do the trick, if not this week, at least over time.

So yesterday, my motivation was part “Gross! Rats! I want to throw away everything I own!”; part “The osteopath has saved my life and now I have enough strength to make some headway in this messy house.”; and part “Well. I bought the Kon Mari book. May as well do what it says.”

The broom closet (and where I store breakfast stuff). Matthieu punched nails in the side of the cabinet to hang stuff, and now we can see the floor. I also threw away all my cookbooks but two. I tend to look online anyway.

The casserole/ frying pan drawer.

The tupperware drawer.

The lazy Susan. I threw away a bunch of old vitamins and fat-burning supplements that I impulse-bought. Stoopid.

Above the sink. The tea is stored in a wooden silverware organiser that makes it easy to pull out and choose what I want.

The dinner + baking ingredients cupboard.

The gluten-free, clean eating cupboard.

The coffee cupboard.

The baking supplies drawer.

The baking pans drawer.

The silverware drawer.

Now I really wish I took ‘before’ pictures. But I can show you all the stuff I’m throwing away. I’m counting on the fact that gypsies come through to take everything metal when it’s the large-items collection day. In this way it will be recycled well. (Is ‘gypsies’ a non-offensive term? I don’t know where they come from). I’m just glad they can benefit from what I don’t need.

That’s a lot of stuff for a small kitchen, isn’t it?

And the trickle-down effect is that today I’m feeling really light-hearted. Look! I put on mascara! I wore a delicate necklace that Matthieu gave me. I’m wearing white. All this, and I’m staying home! I have no plans to go out or see anyone. I’m just looking good for me. (And maybe for my husband too).