by cthorn | Dec 5, 2023 | Uncategorized
“The Japanese have a custom called ōsōji, or ‘big clean.’ It’s similar to spring cleaning in the West, but we do it at the end of the year. They do this with a spirit of gratitude as they prepare to welcome the New Year. In many other parts of the world, too, the end...
by cthorn | Oct 10, 2023 | Uncategorized
This past summer was especially difficult. My Dad suffered a fall and was hospitalized for more than a month before transitioning to a rehab facility in August. Early Septemer saw him home again and requiring a new, heightened level of care. As everyone around me in...
by cthorn | Jul 18, 2023 | Uncategorized
Heat waves and clutter are allies when it comes to punishing us with unbearable living conditions in especially hot summers like this one. The news is filled with reports of dangerously high temperatures across the country and beyond, and here in Connecticut we’re...
by cthorn | May 31, 2023 | Uncategorized
Anyone who shops at Target or equivalent Big Box stores is familiar with the sections devoted to plastic storage bins and other vessels of varying types that are presented as storage “solutions.” While these bins, boxes, organizers, baskets, expanding files, and more...
by cthorn | Mar 17, 2023 | Uncategorized
Can we talk … about our tendencies toward hoarding? The Mayo Clinic describes hoarding disorder as “an ongoing difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions because you believe that you need to save them.” In elaborating, Mayo warns, “You may experience...
by cthorn | Feb 5, 2023 | Uncategorized
The headlines seemed shocking. “Marie Kondo’s life is messier now — and she’s fine with it,” The Washington Post declared in a Jan. 26 story. National Public Radio (NPR), picking up the Post’s story, slapped this headline on its account: “Marie Kondo revealed she’s...
