Whiteboard, Chalkboard, Build a Bunker ~ January 2025

 I have 2 whiteboards in my home office. One is inspirational and the other is practical. The inspirational one has become a permanent fixture since 2020. I've evolved a bit in my activities since then, but it was the jumping off point and I can't erase what's there. Do you ever feel stuck like that- like you just can't throw that momento away for fear that you'll forget the event or catalyst that inspired it's keeping? This is the feeling to overcome in looking forward to new things. Freeing up space for the new is what frees us to live in a forward thinking manner. 

I've culled and culled this December and January. I've determined not to leave behind piles to be hauled away. I'd rather lovingly haul it away myself, or at least dispose of it ethically. But mostly, it's for my mental health. 

No longer are we just inundated by physical objects, but by the backlog of our e-mail boxes, our Amazon wishlists, and our photos in the cloud. We literally- virtually run out of space and must purchase more 'cloud,' to store our photos we'll only be abruptly reminded of by Google at precisely the most inopportune moment. 

Build a bunker. This is one of the most effective efforts I've embraced while working outside the home. My workspace is small and public. But it's mine and it directs my thoughts and activities throughout the day. So does my home office, my kitchen, our living room. Our living spaces are important. So to that end, I'm reinventing, cleaning and purging after about 12 years of living in this house. I'm loving the guidelines I've found on social media-- 'don't hold onto it for 'someday.' Oh my. How liberating when I realized how many times I've moved certain objects over the course of 30 years. It won't look like a Swedish condominium when I'm done. It will likely still look just as cluttered as when I started to the unknowing eye. But it already feels calmer. I've already disposed of 12 bags, 8 boxes, probably more broken, too small, too big, random, un-needed items. This is how to build a bunker. No matter what the work or activity or feeling-- you have to start by cleaning out.