Are you a house hostage?

When my articles on stuff appeared in the newspaper, I got more feedback than on any other topic. The comments came from all ages.  I visited with an acquaintance who said she had been the benefactor of generations of family treasures from parents, grandparents, and even great-grandparents.  Although she is years away from downsizing, she worries continually about what she will do with all the stuff.  It appears that her children have little interest in inheriting these items, and the treasures have now become a burden. It occurred to me that a house full of stuff can hold a person hostage.

Day after day, the parade of individuals considering retirement living comes through my door.  I meet the most delightful, interesting people who have lived fascinating lives.  The common thread is not age, health, experience, or family.  The common thread is how to deal with their homes.  It is such an overwhelming issue that they are literally stuck at home because they can’t deal with the stuff!  So the wait goes on as if procrastination is the answer. Truthfully, it is not the actual items that create this mental incarceration; it is making decisions about the items.  Do I keep it, move it, throw it away, give it to someone, donate it somewhere, or just walk away from it?  We end up creating our own hostage situation.  By definition, a hostage is, “A person whose freedom of action is restricted or controlled by a more powerful organization by implied threats or other means.”  I think this fits!  The oxymoron is that our stuff has become this powerful force that keeps us hostage.

“Clutter is stuck energy. The word "clutter" derives from the Middle English word "clotter," which means to coagulate - and that's about as stuck as you can get.” Karen Kingston