Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Un-shopping
As a kid, some of my favorite books were the Amelia Bedelia series. The humor of these books comes from the fact that Amelia Bedelia is constantly doing exactly the wrong thing in her job as a housekeeper because of her very literal interpretation of what she is told to do. In the first book, for example, she sprinkles “dusting powder” all over the parlor when she is told to dust the room. Her employer, Mrs. Rogers, has to learn to say, “Un-dust the parlor,” among other accommodations.
I was reminded of this the other day after my husband and I had a great, fun day “un-shopping.” What is un-shopping, you ask? Well, we took a pile of books to Strand, and whatever didn’t sell we donated to Housing Works Book Store. We also dropped a few bags of household items next door at Housing Works. I know most people get a hit of serotonin from shopping, but we get a little jazzed when we get rid of a lot of stuff like that. We are weird.
People call this de-cluttering or downsizing, and I’ve even referred to it as divesting, but really, if shopping is the problem, and I’m doing the opposite of shopping, then I’m un-shopping.
We are very adaptable creatures. I know there are evolutionary reasons why we get a little buzz from acquisition, but I believe that my husband and I—and many of my clients—have learned to feel that thrill when we let go rather than when we acquire. I also believe in the power of language. If the words de-cluttering and downsizing have negative connotations for you, change it up: un-shop! The next time you’re taking something to the thrift store, think to yourself, “I’m un-shopping!” It might not be as fun as shopping at first, but soon you’ll get the hang of it, just like Mrs. Rogers did.