Simple Pleasures–Or, Cutting off your Nose to have more Room on your Face.

Irene, as a clown, aged 5

 “Cutting off my nose to have more room on my face.” That’s how my daughter Irene describes one of my simple pleasures: Decluttering.The pleasure we get from owning less, from uncluttered empty space, is a simple, easily accessible pleasure. One way I am enjoying this is by donating or chucking one thing a day, 365 a year.

I have resolved to own no more clothes that fit comfortably in our bedroom’s two built in dressers, the one built-in closet which belongs to me, and the beautiful antique tall-boy with inlaid woods I was given. That’s actually a lot of clothes, and I have decided never going to own more than can fit in this space.

So each time, I succumb to temptation on our travels and buy a beautiful hand-knitted sweater or shawl or scarf or shirt, something must go.

Irene watches this process of chucking or donation with bemusement, especially when she realised that the only reason I am donating my least favourite item, or chucking the most worn-out is to have unstuffed dresser drawers.

“That’s like cutting off your nose to make more room on your face,” she observes.

Perhaps. However, though I am just a beginner in the journey of decluttering and minimalism, I can definitely testify that it greatly helps mental focus and inner tranquillity.

Who would have expected such gains from the simple mental health/wealth pleasure of decluttering?