Rededicating our homes, lives

DEBORAH MAYAAN
Special to the AJP
In reclaiming the Temple, the Maccabees cleansed and rededicated it. As Chanukah approaches, we too can rededicate our homes, work and worship spaces.
For the Maccabees, what to remove was clear—the remnants of the worship of other gods. Most of us, on the other hand, need to reflect on what needs to be carried out of our spaces. We can accumulate clutter from unfinished projects, papers about opportunities (from invitations to adult education brochures to credit card offers), paraphernalia from activities we no longer participate in, and items that hold memories. While these aren’t reminders of “other gods,” we do need to ask where we would like to direct our energy. For example, if you’ve explored a number of exercise possibilities and determined that dance is the one that brings you the most joy, then selling or giving away tennis gear will free up space in your home and life.
Our prayer that celebrates sacred space begins, Mah tovu ohalekha Ya’akov — How goodly are your tents, Jacob. Rabbi Stephanie Aaron of Congregation Chaverim reflects that our history as a nomadic people can give us an appreciation for living more simply — we had to be clear about what was worth carrying. She has been using the tent image to help her in decluttering.
The sorting process can feel overwhelming, says Ori Parnaby, a professional organizer. She recommends starting with just one area, preferably the one that is bugging you the most. You can help keep yourself motivated by making a sticky note reminding you of why you are doing this — such as clearing out an area so you can display your Judaica in a way that stands out. When the first space is done, the feeling of accomplishment can motivate you to tackle the next one, says Parnaby.
When deciding what to keep, Parnaby recommends asking yourself these questions: Have I used this within the last year? Do I like it? Does it work? (If it doesn’t, am I going to repair it?) If I later discover I made a mistake in getting rid of it, can it be easily replaced?
There are some things we’ll want to keep for sentimental reasons, but here too, we can be selective — rather than keeping a whole box of cards, picking a few meaningful ones may be more effective, says Parnaby.
As well as sorting through papers that we already have, it’s important to create systems to deal with materials coming into our homes, says Carolyn Sanger, a professional organizer who specializes in issues with papers. People tend to drop papers on the first available flat surface, says Sanger.
The most important thing is to have a dedicated place to bring papers, and have an organizer with hanging files for different types — bills, phone calls to return, things to do on the computer, notes about items to buy, time-sensitive reading matter, things to read that aren’t time-sensitive, and things to file, says Sanger.
To make this work, she says, people need to go through papers at least once a week and follow through on paying bills, returning calls, etc. She recommends transferring shopping notes to a pocket folder that is kept in the car, so spare time can be used to do an errand. Reading material can also be kept in the car for perusal when waiting for appointments.
It helps to devote time to instill some order before beginning the new week, says Sanger. For boring tasks like filing, Sanger recommends setting a timer for 20 minutes and simply doing what can be accomplished then.
Keeping projects well-organized makes it easier to file papers. Sanger keeps color-coded hanging folders on her desk. Major projects have expanded-capacity flat-bottom files that hold several inches of documents. Then each element within the project has its own folder that is either the same color, or is coded with a colored label.
Those of us who store materials on our computers also need systems to maintain order. Degunking Microsoft Office, by Wayne and Christina Palaia, has many helpful tips. Tablet laptop computers provide a way to fill out forms and make handwritten notes on the computer.
Going digital can also reduce physical space for sentimental items. Taking a photo or writing a paragraph about what an item has meant to us makes it easy to share memories with family and friends.
When it is still challenging to let go of the physical items, taking time to sit and think about the memories may help, as can holding a simple ceremony of release.
It can also help to think of people who may benefit from receiving what you are releasing. If you’ve been holding onto clothes that no longer fit, give them away to a place that provides professional clothing to women re-entering the workforce, or warm jackets for low-income teens or homeless people. Then buy clothes to fill in any current wardrobe gap — or hold a clothing exchange like my women friends and I do several times a year. We place all the good-quality clothes we would like to give away in the center of the room, and then pick out what we’d like to have. We all get constantly changing wardrobes;  items that aren’t chosen are donated to a thrift store.
When dealing with clutter, we may think we can just hide it in a more private area. But if we apply the template of the Mishkan and Temple to our spaces, private areas are more holy than public ones, and thus even more important to keep clear. Starting by clearing out the bedroom or the area where we go to relax may help us be more clear and better able to work with the other areas of the space.
We can gain insights by applying another template to our spaces; the feng shui bagua has nine areas that correspond to nine aspects of our lives. If we have a tendency to store old (maybe even broken) stuff in the relationship area, it may be beneficial to look at any patterns of holding onto old relationships or unhelpful patterns of behavior.
Shifts in our spaces can parallel major shifts in our lives. Placing a dreidel in an area to be decluttered can set the intention for a big shift, a miracle, in that area at any time of year.
And at Chanukah, we can do a conscious rededication of the home. With the lighting of each candle, think of what you intend to do in the home, such as rest better in the cleared out bedroom, enjoy meals together in the kitchen or dining room, create something in the re-organized craft area, or cook a meal together from the re-organized pantry.
Resources:
Carolyn Sanger, Piles of Paper 615-7754 www.pilesofpaper.com
Ori Parnaby, Organize with Ori 661-8528  www.organizewithori.com
Deborah Mayaan is an energy work and flower essence practitioner based in Tucson. www.deborah mayaan.com