| On my desk is a quotation by Thoreau that says, “Our life is frittered away by detail … simplify, simplify!” Every year about this time something triggers a desire in me to do this very thing. I have the great intention of throwing away everything that is excess or doesn’t contribute to a more satisfying and fruitful life. However, when push comes to shove and I immerse myself into a closet or the big one — the basement — I run into all kinds of problems. Just yesterday I spent the day below and had a wonderful time. I found things I thought were lost forever. As I sorted through boxes that held all kinds of totally useless items, wonderful memories came to mind. There were boxes of craft supplies and sewing projects that took me back at least 30 years (maybe longer) and it felt like I had just purchased them yesterday except for one thing. I no longer had the desire to create whatever the supplies would make. I never did crochet covers for toilet paper rolls, probably because I didn’t crochet, but there were directions and material for some equally whimsical and useless items. There were probably enough supplies to provide for a small church bazaar, if I so desired. Somehow I have moved on to new things and different ways to spend my time. At the end of the day my “get rid of” stack was still pretty small. But I had found some lost treasures and organized others so that my basement looks a lot better. The main thing is that I had released some great memories. There is a new television show on A&E called the “Hoarders.’’ In each episode they look into the lives of people who are unable to part with their belongings. These are extreme cases where the individual cannot bear to even throw away anything — empty containers, broken items, torn clothing, etc. Because of this they are on the verge of a personal crisis including being swallowed up by the very stash they have created. These people have need for medical treatment in order to be helped. That is one extreme but the one described at the beginning of this article does not really fall into that category although it has been discussed why there are some people who can easily throw away and those of us who hang on to certain things. Basically there are two reasons for those of us who hang, or as I would prefer to think, preserve. One is that we hate to get rid of something we think might someday be useful and is far too good to throw away. The other is that the memory the item holds is dear to us and we are afraid that when the item is tossed we will be losing the memory or the relationship that it represents will be broken if we no longer have it around. I have to say here that once I received the gift of a breadbox that I intensely disliked from my mother-in-law. I kept it on my kitchen counter for about as long as I could stand it and finally sent it packing. You know what, my relationship with my mother-in-law didn’t change one bit. It never really was very good. In the past week I have run into two businesses that are right up my alley and I don’t think they are widely known so I want to share them with you. Last Saturday I worked at the church rummage sale. Let me say right now that this is not a place for a recovering clutteraholic. There were a couple of items of unusual clothing that I thought were totally unrealistic as far as being useful in La Grande, but I just knew they had some value for someone. And they did! As I was helping bag a purchase I spied these items in the stack. I got to talking with the buyer and it turned out to be Karen Kevan who runs a costume rental shop out of her basement. I was intrigued so I went to visit her to see what she had to offer. Her wonderful collection of clothing includes quite a variety of possibilities that range from vintage to space age and royalty to pirates. If you have any need for a costume, she is the one to contact. You can give her a call at 541-962-7175 for an appointment. I don’t think you will be disappointed. The other business is an older established one where the previous owner would have to be described as a hoarder, but not of the extreme kind. This is Bulldog Enterprises just out of Island City at 10200 Wallowa Lake Highway, which has recently been purchased by Brad Sunderman, a young man who grew up here in La Grande. Bulldog carries nearly anything you might need for a recreational vehicle. There are many new items, but there are probably many more items that are surplus or used that could be just what you are looking for. And here is the best surprise of all. They have the largest supply of upholstery and drapery material for miles around. Seeing all that fabric had whetted my appetite for new seats on my dining room chairs. I always like to give you a new spot for a weekday lunch or a tasty daytime treat. Spic’y Creations, with its hospitable new owner Peggy Case, on Adams Avenue between Baxter Auto Parts and The Clothes Closet, will be able to provide just the thing you desire. She is also open Saturdays so you can stop in to visit with a friend over a cup of tea or coffee and perhaps share a delectable homemade goodie. Have courage! De-clutter! Look for something new! Enjoy! |
