JUNK

I love organizing - that sense of accomplishment when I sort treasured objects into neat little stacks, then place them into scented ribbon-embellished silk satin bags to be displayed in my antique French armoire, is undeniably therapeutic. Sounds too perfect and unreal in today’s world? Right on, my sisters! As a consumer, we live in a time when we are bombarded with advertisement from all sorts of medium every time we turn our eyes. Consumerism and materialism have become an integral part of our lives. If you have done your fair share of contributing to the growth of our bustling economy, chances are you have a similar experience as mine :


You venture down into the cold and dimly-lit basement looking for that odd-shaped frame you put away waiting for just the right picture to fit into. You don’t know which way to turn because the entire basement floor is occupied by cardboard boxes that piled up taller than you. You feel like you are in a maze and have to navigate yourself through dark and narrow passage ways. Suddenly, it dawns on you that the frame is tucked neatly in box #318, aisle B, 90 degrees longitude, 75 degrees latitude. You make a quick half turn and take a big stride forward and ~THUMP~, you trip over your stack of beloved Cosmopolitan and Harper's Bazaar that have been left on the floor for the past 5 years and fall flat on your face!


Well, I am not a collector, I thought I have pretty good self-control when it comes to shopping. I only buy what I really really love, I rather miss a bargain opportunity than having a whole house-ful of shopping trophies. However over the years, I really have no idea where, when and WHY I have accumulated so much stuffs. There are sleeping bags of different sizes, tents, telescope, camping equipments, and we have never even ventured out to our backyard, let alone camping in the wilderness! Then in the kitchen department, there are used containers of varying sizes and shapes, party supplies enough for 100 guests each week for the next 2 years. And of course, who can part with those thousands of VHS and cassette tapes which ‘once upon a time’, gave us so much entertainment pleasure? So, my JUNK (Just Un-necessary No-use ‘Krap’) just keep accumulating.


My friend has a golden rule regarding the possessions in her house - you bring one bag in, you take one out. She believes if your surrounding is organized, then your life is organized too. Ah, smart woman, no wonder every time I see her, she looks so much in control of herself. I guess my next action should be : looking up the yellow pages for a dump truck?!