Was thinking about decluttering a bit, getting rid of stuff I haven’t used or needed in a while. I heard about some Japanese method for doing this and went to Google to ask about that. Turns out the Japanese hold both views, keep the stuff and throw it out.

The first thing I read was about a practice in Japan called Mottainai which basically means, don’t throw it out. The idea is that you shouldn’t be wasteful, Ben Frankin simply said, waste not, want not. Same idea. Without being aware of that I have been practicing Mottainai faithfully most of my life.

Reading a bit further I discovered a Shinto practice called dojo dan Shari. In that practice you hold each item in your hand and decide if it brings you joy or not. If it doesn’t make you happy, it’s outta there. But, you do have to throw it out respectfully, thanking that object for the joy it did bring you.

I am aware that time is running out. It’s a simple reality that become more real with each passing year. I’m not going to live forever. I do need to treat my stuff with respect and discard what I no longer find joy in. But, I don’t want to deprive someone else of that joy. One man’s junk is another’s man’s treasure you know.

In this practice of Mottainai you shouldn’t throw anything anyway without a good reason. I really have a problem with that. What would be a good reason? I haven’t used it in a long time, might need it tomorrow though you never know. It’s broken It can be fixed. It’s outdated? No, it’s just vintage, possibly antique.

I have tried that dojo dan shari, holding each object in my hand. It always makes me happy because I have memories of that object. Can’t throw that away, just can’t discard a memory like that, it would be disrespectful. Even when that memory may be sad or a disappointment of some kind, it remains a memory.

I guess neither of those Japanese methods are for me. I’m not Japanese and so wasn’t taught that. I was raised on the waste not, want not attitude. My parents and grandparents rarely threw anything away. They did “rehome” the things that were important to them. It’s a practice I intend to continue.

In today’s parlance I suppose you could call that giving the object a “forever” home. I’ve heard that term applied in a variety of circumstances. Thing is, nothing is forever. The thing for me is, I can hold onto it for my forever.

Strange how that is, everyone’s forever is different. And we don’t know how long that forever will be. The only way I can ensure the forever of an object is by giving that object to someone else. Then you have to trust that they keep it forever.

What if they practice dojo dan shari? The safest thing to do is to hold onto it yourself. If you do decide to give it away don’t give it to a Shinto. Their religion says to throw it out! They will do so respectfully but forever ends. It doesn’t have to though, that’s my feeling.