ENOUGH ALREADY

It was interesting to see the beginnings of Oprah's new television network, OWN, this weekend. I was particularly pleased to notice that one of my favorite experts on decluttering, Peter Walsh, will have a show called "Enough Already" on the network. Walsh, who anchored a program called "Clean Sweep" some years ago and has appeared frequently on Oprah since, is thoughtful, warm, feisty, and very clear about the emotional elements of clutter. I vividly remember seeing him ask a Clean Sweep participant how they were honoring the grandmother whose furniture they clung to when that furniture was dusty and piled with other things. It was fine to keep the things if they felt essential, he argued, but if they were indeed that precious, wouldn't they be clean...polished...used...cared for? Sounds simple, I know, but the question of whether we are honoring our memories merely by keeping "stuff" that is neglected is a powerful one. Anyway, the show should be interesting for anyone interested in decluttering practices that move beyond mere physical organization into more challenging and more liberating discoveries. Walsh also has a new book, Lighten Up: Love What You Have, Have What You Need, and Be Happier With Less, that approaches decluttering with a particular emphasis on the economic constraints that affect so many of us today. I haven't read it yet, but it might be a useful text.