The time has come.
It's time to Clear the Clutter.
Our "house-full-of-stuff" has become a visual metaphor for the autistic brain reaching reception capacity, on the verge of overload and meltdown from having to cope with
too much information.
too much information.
If I'm to avoid overloading the house with more stuff ~ and the possible meltdown of one Mr family member in particular ~ I need to create some capacity, quickly!
Like the autistic brain ~ which finds filtering unnecessary information and sensory stimulii extremely challenging ~ I've been very adept at collecting stuff but not so very good at offloading stuff, especially the kids' stuff (ever).
It's good stuff: useful (to someone, if not us any more), decent quality, pre-loved, much "as new", all evoking happy memories. All reasons why I've held onto it (OK, hoarded it).
There's so much stuff we can't easily access the stuff that's still useful, still enjoyable.
It's good stuff: useful (to someone, if not us any more), decent quality, pre-loved, much "as new", all evoking happy memories. All reasons why I've held onto it (OK, hoarded it).
There's so much stuff we can't easily access the stuff that's still useful, still enjoyable.
We're really at a point where we can't fit any new stuff in. And I like new stuff! New stuff that will be more useful than the old stuff, that we can also enjoy and link to new memories.
In short, not enough old stuff is being filtered out so there is not enough capacity for new stuff.
Just like the autistic brain!
In short, not enough old stuff is being filtered out so there is not enough capacity for new stuff.
Just like the autistic brain!
Yes, we've had a couple of garage clear outs of ~ quite frankly ~
c£@& stuff. The garage being the metaphorical equivalent of the autistic brain's meltdown as, usually in a fit of pique and lacking any other rational thought or idea, it's where we've chucked any overload from the "house-full-of-stuff" that we couldn't think how to contain within the house anymore.
c£@& stuff. The garage being the metaphorical equivalent of the autistic brain's meltdown as, usually in a fit of pique and lacking any other rational thought or idea, it's where we've chucked any overload from the "house-full-of-stuff" that we couldn't think how to contain within the house anymore.
In the past, as a means of avoiding overload, I've given away a lot of stuff ~ the autistic brain's equivalent of turning on a release valve, of avoiding overload by withdrawing or zoning out for a bit, like reading or watching TV.
A sort of "clutter clearance channel".
But I was working then and I could afford to give stuff away. Now, having given up gainful employment "for family reasons" (and halving our household income in the process), I've been reluctant to give away quite so much ~ promising one Mr family member that I'd start selling the good stuff as my ongoing contribution to the much depleted money coffers.
And therein lay the problem. Removing the "clutter clearance channel", or release valve, of "giving away" stuff without immediately identifying an alternative, cash generating, "workable for our family" autism friendly "clutter clearance channel" has meant this house and the garage are now both fully full of stuff!.
But I was working then and I could afford to give stuff away. Now, having given up gainful employment "for family reasons" (and halving our household income in the process), I've been reluctant to give away quite so much ~ promising one Mr family member that I'd start selling the good stuff as my ongoing contribution to the much depleted money coffers.
And therein lay the problem. Removing the "clutter clearance channel", or release valve, of "giving away" stuff without immediately identifying an alternative, cash generating, "workable for our family" autism friendly "clutter clearance channel" has meant this house and the garage are now both fully full of stuff!.
But, after four years without one, I think I've finally found a release valve to suit.
Hello local Facebook selling pages.
All I need is a camera (check), a cash collecting jar (check), an ability to communicate via FB (check) and to arrange mutually convenient collections in exchange for cash (check) ~ oh, and a lot of stuff and clutter (double check) ~ and I'm away.
Clearing the way for my house ~ and its inhabitants ~ to function again, to work in the way it needs to today. Like allowing the autistic brain to rest and empty itself of some of the stuff it doesn't need, to reach a point of "calm alertness", with sufficient capacity for more information to assimilate and be made use of. Little and often, pre-empting and avoiding the overload, opening the way for the garage, too, to be put to better use! I'm thinking potter's wheel, yoga...teenage den...man den...teenage and man den combined?.
Clearing the way for my house ~ and its inhabitants ~ to function again, to work in the way it needs to today. Like allowing the autistic brain to rest and empty itself of some of the stuff it doesn't need, to reach a point of "calm alertness", with sufficient capacity for more information to assimilate and be made use of. Little and often, pre-empting and avoiding the overload, opening the way for the garage, too, to be put to better use! I'm thinking potter's wheel, yoga...teenage den...man den...teenage and man den combined?.
And I thought I could assuage the guilt of not "giving away" by doing some good in a different way.
So, returning to the metaphor of this story, and to highlight their Too Much Information campaign, I promise to pass on 10% of any money I make from Clearing the Clutter (I've got a lot of stuff and clutter) to the National Autistic Society to contribute in some small way to the understanding, acceptance and accommodation of autism.
So, returning to the metaphor of this story, and to highlight their Too Much Information campaign, I promise to pass on 10% of any money I make from Clearing the Clutter (I've got a lot of stuff and clutter) to the National Autistic Society to contribute in some small way to the understanding, acceptance and accommodation of autism.
After all, that's why I'm doing this.
#AutismTMI
#AutismHour
#differentnotless
#cleartheclutter
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| via HIPPYBEACHGIRL.TUMBLR.COM on Pinterest |
As I gear up to another, hopefully more productive, burst of selling this autumn I was reminded I’d yet to donate the 10% of proceeds from last autumn’s clutter clearance. Not a huge amount - £45.90 just donated via the NAS online donation page - but not bad given we’ve only just cleared the tip of the clutter iceberg and every penny counts. Need to do better this time as I have plans for the garage!
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