Hi Judy: When are collections too much? I have books. I have figurines. I have rocks. I have stuffed animals. I have hats. I have recipes. I have chimes. I have costume jewelry. I have garden gnomes. I have pictures. I have antique linens. There are items I haven’t yet placed into collecting categories because I don’t have enough of them to qualify as a collection. Can you suggest a way to stop the flood? Sincerely, Collectable.

Dear Collectable. Sure... in two words. STOP COLLECTING! Do you own your collections or are they owning you? Just estimate the expense of “real estate” you are using to store, clean, and manage your collections. What gratification or need are you meeting by having so many things? Are your things serving a purpose? Are they useful... and do you use them? Perhaps you live in SABLE - Stash Accumulation Beyond Life Expectancy.

I received permission from Claire Josefine, the author of my newest favorite book, The Spiritual Art of Being Organized, to share some passages. I’m a member of a group that meets monthly to discuss how to simplify our lives (we call ourselves the Simpletons) so I was particularly interested in this definition of living simply.

“According to Duane Elgin, a major figure in the Voluntary Simplicity movement, it means ‘choosing our path through life consciously, deliberately, and of our own accord. It’s not so much about living with less as it is about living with purpose and balance... The simple life is about freeing up time for what matters most to us.’”

“A simple life is an examined life, where each aspect is a result of a concrete decision. When we choose a simple life, we choose to resist the pressures for materialistic consumerism. We choose to take back control of our lives, deciding how we live and what we buy. And our decisions are based in our values: simplicity, family, community, equality, beauty, honesty, justice, kindness, caring for the earth and all living creatures.”

Are we living simply by collecting things? Do our collections add to our sense of wellbeing? Do they bring us peace of mind? Do they give us a sense of security? Are they insurance against the “maybe I’ll need it someday” fear of scarcity and lack? At least when there’s a run on garden gnomes, you know you’ll be ready!

Claire goes on to say, “Much of our clutter comes from hoarding things that we think we might need someday, from keeping things ‘just in case.’ This tendency to save everything in preparation for the unknown is particularly common to people who lived through the Great Depression, but is by no means limited to that population. It is a symptom of what is called ‘scarcity thinking,’ the belief that there is not enough, that the world is an unsafe place where our needs are not provided for. And yet, in this very moment, we have everything we need. Right now, in this second, we are okay.

The trick is to realize that we have enough. The antidote to scarcity is abundance, and the quickest way to abundance is through gratitude. Sarah Ban Breahnach, author of Simple Abundance: a Daybook of Comfort and Joy, says it well, “When we do a mental and spiritual inventory of all that we have, we realize that we are very rich indeed. Gratitude gives way to simplicity – the desire to clear out, pare down, and realize the essential of what we need to truly live well. Simplicity brings with it order, both internally and externally. A sense of order in our life brings us harmony. Harmony provides us with the inner peace we need to appreciate the beauty that surrounds us each day, and beauty opens us to joy.”

The next time you’re tempted to add to your collections remember this quote by Wendell Berry, “What we must do is use well the considerable power we have as consumers: the power of choice. We can choose to buy or not to buy, and we can choose what to buy. The standard by which we choose must be the health of the community - and by that we mean the whole community: ourselves, the place where we live, and all the humans and other creatures who live there with us. It is better to buy at a small, privately owned local store than from a chain store. It is better to buy a good product than a bad one. Do no buy anything you don’t need. Do everything you can to see that your money stays as long as possible in the local community.”

I’ll share with you an exercise I did a couple of years ago, recommended by my friend Connie, that was one of the most powerful and useful experiences I’ve had on this subject. For one year I didn’t buy anything that I didn’t need. I bought food and the essentials of living... and I gave myself permission to buy gifts. But I didn’t buy clothes, books, or anything on impulse, or because it was on sale. The hardest thing to give up was buying fabric or art supplies, but I knew I had enough “stuff” already to make anything I wanted. I told myself that if I was working on an art project and needed a supply to finish it I could make a purchase. But I didn’t need to. The best part of this experience was breaking the habit of indiscriminate buying.

If this idea resonates with you and you decide to make a year long pact, send me a note and I’ll give you lots of support. It’s easier and a lot more fun than you think!

The Spiritual Art of Being Organized (with great organizing tips) is available at Quest Books, Elliot Bay Books and Left Bank Books in Seattle or directly from Claire Josefine at www.wintersdaughterpress.com or by phone at 1(800)505-3881.

Judy Lynn is a Professional Organizer, and the owner of Consider It Done, providing safe, supportive help in organizing and making life transitions. You can reach her at consider@whidbey.net, or www.consider-itdone.com, (360)678-0712 with your questions. It you’re emailing, please note “Marketplace” in the subject line. You can send your questions to the Marketplace at PO Box 1043, Clinton WA 98236 or fax them to 360(341)2190.