JOY

I had an A-Ha moment today that unexpectedly brought me joy! 

I have read some articles about decluttering that focus on the question, "Does this spark JOY?" with each object in your home.  From the library I got the book "The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo, the author of the "spark joy" concept.  It only took a few hours to read, but I'm sure I'm in for many hours of tidying up.  

Even before reading the book, I remembered enough that I have been putting some of her concepts into place with my own decor and clothes closet.  I even used it with my Mom and sorting out her abundance of clothes this week. 

However, in reading the book she describes a pattern of tidying up that produces success.  Sort by category, not location in your home.  Clothes first, then books, papers, miscellaneous (dishware, decor, etc) and lastly mementos (sentimental items).  And at the very last of mementos is photos.  

Gosh dang it!  Why photos last?  The author says, "There is good reason to leave photos for last.  If you start sorting photos before you have honed your intuitive sense of what brings you joy, the whole process will spin out of control and come to a halt."

I have so many photos, both paper and digital that sorting through them is a humongous project.  I have scrapbook material and tools in my closet and even in a rolling bin in my second bathroom to use for displaying these thousands of photos.  It's so overwhelming that I don't know where to start...and have not done anything for years.  

The last section of her book is titled "the magic of tidying dramatically transforms your life."  She encourages the reader to think about what they want their life to be like in their home.  I want a room to escape to that I can read and meditate, if I want, without another person or noise from a television.  There is such a room in my home, but every time I go in there, I feel guilty reading because I know that in the closet are bins of photos and scrapbook material waiting to be sorted and used.  

For the past year, I have rarely taken photos with my camera. Yes, I post some photos on Facebook, but the quantity and quality are non-existent compared to the past.  I have really pondered why this change of pace for me?  Why don't I want to take photos?

Then came my A-Ha moment.  It dawned on me that I feel so overwhelmed with all the photos I have already taken and done nothing with them... that my psyche is saying, "No more! You have enough photos to take care of without adding more!"  

I knew I had a book titled "The Joy of Photography" and sure enough I found it on my bookcase.  Yes, the "joy" of photography has gone away.  Will the joy come back?  Time will tell as I tidy up my clothes, books, etc before I get to my photos. But it is such a relief to know I have options in all my belongings that seem to weigh me down.  I can either keep them and enJOY them or discard them for someone else to enjoy!