Thursday, September 23, 2010

Fall Editing

This morning, when I was going about making my breakfast, I realized I need to do more editing in my house.  It never really ends as we bring things into our homes, we need to take out items that aren't suitable, are worn out, and just aren't being used any more.  Breakfast sparked this thought as I opened the cabinet containing my spices and realized I have far more herbs and spices than I need or use.  Besides, a good number of them are probably past their peak.  This weekend I'm going to get to work on that cabinet and probably a few others, eliminating those items that have expired or haven't been used in ages.


I probably won't stop with the kitchen and will move to my linen closet.  It's good to take a look at the things you actually use and eliminate those that just collect dust.  Having more than you need and use really adds stress and work to your life.  When there are items in our home that are unnecessary, we still have to dust them, clean them, maintain them, or just shift them around to get to what we need.  


Years ago I read about someone visiting a home in Japan.  This individual noticed that there were some empty shelves in a closet and asked what they were for.  The response?  Room to breathe.  Yes, I need to edit some more to create more room to breathe, especially as the season changes and I find myself spending large chunks of time inside.

4 comments:

wanda barrett said...

If you decide to replace any of those spices, I just love http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/

You can buy very small quantities of those things you don't use all that often, so they won't go bad.

Shona~ LALA dex press said...

what a lovely idea...room to breathe.

Fiona Ferris said...

Just yesterday I purchased a lidded container which is the perfect height for spice jars and look forward to putting all my herbs and spices in it. I don't have tons, but I realised the tiny container they are all crammed into (double height) doesn't let me see everything there is, and I forget to use half of them. By having them all laid out and in a container which I can pull easily out of the pantry and put on the bench, I think I will be utilising them more.

Editing is constant, I agree. That's OK though, it'a part of life. The house is not a static thing, there are always beings coming and going, so it's only natural that the house changes too.

I love the idea of leaving room to breathe.

Cherie said...

Wanda, thanks for the tip!

Shona, I think we all need a little more breathing room in our lives.

Fiona, it's nice to be able to see what you have. I'm now down to 2 rows of spices - the one in front for those I use regularly and the one in back for those not used as often.