Underneath It All

Pared down to the core

Revealing what is really 

underneath it all.

Fluffy and cute but burdened with 

too much, can't see clearly.

Leave it to me to use dog grooming as a metaphor

what do you need to shed?

everyone will tell you what 

they believe 

you and your home

SHOULD 

look like

But what if that is not you?

Should you have what the Jones' have?

More importantly does every wish need to,

deserve to be, fulfilled?

We cannot all be best in show.

Should we even attempt to be?

I WILL tell you

to have only what works for you;

not what any blog, or magazine

or tv show demonstrates.

If it's stored in old boxes,

shoved in closets,

cluttering up the garage

so that you can't even park in there

then it does not have value.

I am NOT saying

do not have stuff.

I have stuff.

If it no longer works for me,

out it goes..sold, given to friends, or donated.

I AM saying

your stuff should matter,

if it is in your home,

if it's important to you,

then it deserves a place of honor.

Storing relatives' belongings in boxes

because of guilt is not honoring that person,

or their possessions. 

Holding on to anything you May

need in the future should be evaluated honestly.

My clients are rolling their eyes - 

they've heard it ad nauseam

Home size has gone from an average

983 square feet in the 1950's

up to 2300 sq feet in the 2000's,

average remember..50% have even more space

while family size has decreased with each census,

 and yet.....

Storage facilities increased over 75%

in the past 12 years alone, and most report 90% occupancy

and the average length of use is over 15 months.

Average credit card debt is $7,000.

More distressing... if you look only at households with 

debt it rises to $15,000.

I am beating a very dead horse, I know..

I'm entitled to as an old grey mare

but while walking yesterday I saw many open garages

piled nearly to the ceiling-front to back-side to side

with an aisle to walk through

 broken and leaning boxes...

2000 square feet inside of the home

full..

groom 

your

 life

what matters is 

underneath it all