Cleaning

A couple of times every year, I get an urge to clean the entire space I live in, and purge anything I don't use. I find it really cathartic and enjoy the whole process. It happens by default whenever I move, but this time I didn't move into an empty space. I moved into a house that has been used by ALTs for at least 12 years. And was filled with 12 years worth of crap.

Being in Japan for a limited time makes you not really want to spend any money on things for your home- you're not going to be able to take them home, and you won't be around long enough to use them up. 12 years of that mindset meant that I moved in to a TON of mismatched, broken, overused stuff that other people had left behind. It was kind of overwhelming.

I cleared all the surfaces right away, but couldn't bring myself to deal with things hidden in drawers or closets or bookcases. And had a really hard time getting rid of things I just don't like (what if someone after me would like it?). I've slowly been weeding through all of it, and I think I'm finally done! Its taken multiple clandestine trips to the garbage drop (when I don't know where or when to dispose of things), several weeks, and strict adherence to the mindset that I will be living here for a year (and my successor can buy another if they really need it), but it's actually clean around here. I'm kind of surprised by how much more relaxed I feel. It's nice.