Demolition Woman

[darkemeralds]

Demolition is weirdly liberating. In one instant of decision, things I built, installed, painted, cleaned and cared for over the years have become the object of my base destructiveness.

Inserting the thin edge of a pry-bar and yanking two things apart, making nails scream as they come out--it's fun! It's like...anti-caring.





So far it's just doors and trim. Wholesale removal of the structure will involve actually having to empty the closet, and I'm putting it off because this closet is the black hole of failed projects and buried memories, second only to the dreaded Storage Under The Bed.*

I cleared some of the shelves today and that was painful enough. Maybe I can face the shoes, clothes, luggage, jewelry, accessories and yarn stash tomorrow. This demolition gig puts me in a ruthless mood, though, so it might not be so bad.

Here's the resulting used-lumber pile so far, waiting to be de-nailed and delivered to the Rebuilding Center.


*For those who've been around a while, this closet was a part of the original Project Empty that I never did fully clear. So it's positively archaeological.

Comments

[ranunculus]

I was looking for something recently (no I haven't found it) and went through a number of boxes. Um, yes, archaeological. Someday soon I need to get RID of a lot of that stuff....

[darkemeralds]

I decluttered my house six years ago. It was a surprisingly life-altering experience. The only way to prevent regret was to change myself: for instance, if I gave away the tools of an old hobby, I had to say, "That hobby is no longer part of my identity."

Not surprisingly, that choice tended to open new doors of identity and expression. I simplified and clarified my life in a lot of ways.

I cleared three-quarters of my clutter before I ran out of steam. What I didn't clear has remained firmly fossilized, and that's the layer I'm tackling now, with this bedroom project. Six years' worth of no-regrets helps a lot: I've never seriously missed a single thing that I jettisoned back then. It's a real eye-opener.

[ranunculus]

I have problems jettisoning tools....
On the other hand I'm pretty good at getting rid of books, especially light reading. Reference books are harder, though I went through my bookcases fairly ruthlessly about a year ago and got rid of quite a lot of stuff.

I think my next reall "cleanout" project will include lots of old plumbing parts, sheetrock pieces and other shop detritus that I haven't needed in several years. Just perhaps, MAYBE, I should install the outside slop sink first? ;)

[darkemeralds]

Tools and hardware are really hard for me to get rid of too! The hardest things to jettison, I found, were the ones that were bound up in my identity. I "am" a handy, crafty, DIY kind of person, so tools were hard--so hard that I kept most of them and just built them a new place to live! Books, for me, were easy. I found that as nerdy as I am, I'd stopped being a book-nerd many years earlier.

We've got a tool library in the neighborhood--haven't tried it yet, but it's a great idea. Is there anything like that near you?

[ranunculus]

I know there used to be a tool library in SF, not sure there is one now.
My issue with tools is that I -use- them, and I like good ones. Thus the wood shop in the basement, hardware selection in my "storage" room, and second, slightly different selection of tools up in Ukiah! Like most people I struggle with keeping everything neat and organized, especially at the Ranch. At Henry St I need to spend about a month completely re-doing the shop. Matt set it up to suit himself and it doesn't work for me at all. There is all kinds of space that is poorly used. For example: over the long work bench with the chop saw are a series of cabinets cases, no doors just open-to-the-dust cubby holes. I envisioned them as cabinets with pull out tool and supply storage. Think top mounted tracks. The cabinets are deep, and are pretty high up. As a short person I can't reach very far into them, so some kind of pull out storage is only sensible. Below the same bench are a series of holes where drawers should go. I've got one installed, a second one built but not installed and five more empty holes to fill. As open front holes they are almsot useless, not to mention filthy.

[darkemeralds]

Sounds like a great project!

In my own decluttering project, there was never any question about getting rid of things I actually used. I didn't have a hard and fast rule about how much I had to use something in order to justify keeping it, but I did err on the side of getting-rid-of. You, with your two properties and your many, many projects, would no more get rid of your tools than your bed! Me, my use of tools is dwindling and it's probably time to start letting them go.

[ranunculus]

Completely off topic.
Would you be willing to read and comment on a short "How it Works" article I wrote? I'd love to see if my explaination makes sense to someone who almost certainly doesn't know anything about electric fences! It is all of two pages long. If you really want to get into "editor" mode I'd probably be willing to pay a bit for the series I'm thinking of writing. Donald thinks the rough drafts are pretty good and certainly worth a shot at publishing. MMM. My address book has your phone but not e-mail.

[darkemeralds]

I'd love to! It would be an honor.

Use BigAmethystRing at Gmail dot Com.