You would think this was obvious. But for years, this has never occurred to me.
So, having started up a little Etsy shop. And so positively searching out “carefully curated vintage loveliness” I suddenly decided, on December 18th, that I couldn’t go on like this any more. But this time. I believed it and declared that in the next year, from that day, I was going to free myself of 1000 items.
“One thousand?!”, you gasp. Yep. And steady yourselves… I put it on Instagram. We all know, if it’s on the interwebs, then it must be true. Right? Right.
I grabbed a notebook, wrote 1000 on the cover and worked out how many items I need to move each week to reach my goal. It’s 19.23, if you are wondering. 2.74 per day.
Obviously, there will be weeks when little or nothing moves. But then there will be the week when the sun returns and I will, hopefully, open the shed door and say “I am Woman. I do not need 73 spanners.” Probably adding that a need two adjustables, I think the word is torque but don’t quote me on that. May be one or two little uns for standard things like my bike or that little nut on the dog stroller. And the big one that is adjusted perfectly so that I can turn off the mains water when I go away. I’m Woman. Not helpless.
Having proclaimed my folly on Instagram, a few people contacted me and have decided to join in. I’m setting my own rules and suggested other people do the same. Sabrina, a new friend, came back and said that she would do 1000 that didn’t include anything going to landfill. A very bold move. And it was during a little Instachat with her that I had my moment.
“I decided to start right away because I know mself. And the stress of a looming start line -Jan 1st-…. well I already feel like I’m drowning. So why wait to start swimming?”
I can hear Oprah now, crying “lightbulb moment”.
Too Short A Ladder 