Cleaning Up

I’m talkin’ ‘bout Swedish Death Cleaning Up. This Ingmar Bergman-y philosophy, this practice has become a huge thing since Margareta Magnusson’s lengthily named How To hit the stands. It’s The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Make Your Loved Ones’ Lives Easier and Your Own Life More Pleasant.

The review over at Goodreads says the book:

 “…makes the process uplifting rather than overwhelming. This charming and unsentimental approach to putting your life in order—years or even decades before it becomes urgent—is infused with humor and celebrates the importance of living.”

Sounds good but I don’t need to shell out the dough. I’ve been in the midst of doing this döstädning thing for the past year and a half – since my beloved checked out. Actually longer. I started with Mary Ann’s Turtle Bay apartment.

I’m not about to croak and, considerate as I can be, I’m not worried about Jen and Helen having to go through all my shit after I’m done here. I’ll be dead – they can just throw it all away. I won’t care.

Still, I want to "red up" and declutterize. I want to make more room, create a greater sense of space in my wee cottage. Also, whenever I come upon something that I haven’t used, worn or needed for eons, I get pissed – WHY is this taking up space! So, I’m making with the Zen döstädning.

Magnusson suggests I start with the big stuff and finish with the small. That’s mostly done. I gave away The Amazing Bob’s large desk, his big, BIG recliner chair, the electric piano and a dresser.

Waking from a nap, Coco watches with
sleepy gimlet eyes as I pull everything outta the
closet, making Toss, Donate and Keep piles.

What about my own big stuff though? I’ve got a stand up elliptical that I don’t use (the recumbent at the Y is more my speed) and nobody wants. I’ll donate but to whom? I don’t want to send it to the easy but not ultimately best option – Goodwill. There are places which give, not sell, goods to people in need. A quick Googling gave me Fitness 4 Charity whose mission statement is:

To promote the physical and emotional well being of
economically disadvantaged persons within the United States
and abroad through the collection, donation and distribution
of quality health and exercise equipment, the provision
of instructional support by qualified personnel, and
the delivery of appropriate health related services.

Sounds great! Further Googling gave me Brad Aronson’s post, Where to Donate Your Stuff. Some of the places are wicked obvs (Goodwill, Salvation Army – sorry, no) and others were revelational.

There’s the National Cristina Foundation which has an online database of nonprofits in need of computer hardware.

Dress for Success an international not-for-profit organization that empowers women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

 Habitat for Humanity and it’s ReStores for household goods!

There’s stuff I’ll hold onto despite the room they take up, such as my marionette. My parents bought it for me after The Sound of Music came out. I was utterly transfixed by The Lonely Goatherd scene. At seven years old I was all set – I would be a puppeteer when I grew up. I wanted to be one right there and then.

And there’s stuff I’ll have to work at in order to smartly unload. My flute and piccolo for instance. It seems obvs I won’t be playing them again so I may as well sell them to someone who will. These are professional quality instruments – worth some bucks.  The flute is an open-hole, solid silver Gemeinhardt with a low B-foot. Amazon has new ones for $699 and eBay shows used ones for as low as $180. I’ll swing by The Flutistry and see if they can give me advice, an assist. If selling looks like an impossibly onerous enterprise, I’ll donate them to a school.

So then, I’m doing molto serious, Olympic level decluttering. Cleaning counts as exercise, right? RIGHT!?