There is much to be said for shedding the burden of too many possessions, for de-cluttering one’s life and simplifying things. This is something I have been doing for the past year and it feels good to be treading more lightly on the Earth.

Some months ago a friend discovered a truly lovely blog written by Rachel Meeks who offers “notes and encouragement for a simple and peaceful home”. I have visited it many times now and am adding it to my blogroll. It can also be found by clicking here: Small Notebook.

On a recent visit to the USA we came upon a continuous stream of yard sales, and a great many “antique” barns loaded with STUFF. I have previously mentioned that story here. While we did enjoy looking for really special bargains, we soon felt overwhelmed by the sheer quanitity of it all. Eventually we were STUFFed out. However, it did serve to highlight for us the need to dispense with more of our own unnecessary STUFF back home. And so the de-cluttering process continues.

I seem to have acquired a few collections. Books are wonderful and very hard to let go. I have moved many of them on, but there are also those that will get to stay. I am keeping them within the limits of my bookcase space. As a quilter there is a fabric stash… but it is not nearly as mountainous as that belonging to a friend of mine. She knows who I am speaking of, and she is probably having a rebelliously righteous little chuckle reading this. Of course one must have lots of fabric when one is making lots of quilts! And then there is all that wonderful yarn… pure wool, and the luxury mixes of possum fur, mohair, alpaca, angora and so forth. Not with all my crochet hooks and knitting needles will I get through that in a lifetime, but some Good Causes have helped me out, and I am crocheting afghans (to give away) like they are going out of fashion.

I am impressed by the “notes and encouragement” that Rachel writes and have wanted to give her blog this special mention. There is gold to be found there, real treasure in letting go the burden of carrying what is simply unnecessary for the journey.