Since the day my oncologist diagnosed me with a rare, incurable cancer, one for which long-term survival is considered five years, I have become obsessed with getting rid of my belongings.

It’s not that I’m into Minimalist Living, the trendy lifestyle of the moment, because I’m a proud Maximalist. Nor am I following the advice of best selling author Marie Kondo, whose book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” advocates purging everything which does not bring us joy. Most of Kondo’s system just doesn’t work for me. I tried following her strict rules, but halfway through folding my socks so that they stood upright like mini soldiers in my drawer, I lost my freaking mind. I started dressing up my, (now deceased dog), Leroy, in my old sweaters:

I have so many lovely things (most of them not practical – that’s my specialty) and each piece brings me joy. Therefore I should keep them all, right? I’ve never heard anyone say: “I want less joy in my life please.” Note: I am not an actual hoarder. As part of a volunteer job I used to visit an elderly woman who was a true hoarder, so I know what that chaos looks like; I’m just a collector of pretty things.

The kind of de-cluttering and purging that I engage in, is fueled by my deep anxiety that I will die soon and that my partner with be stuck with all of my stuff. He will be devastated (his word) and in addition to processing his own grief and dealing with my family, (they love him deeply and consider him their son-in-law), he will have to go through all of my belongings. Having never had to be in charge of such a depressing task, I can only imagine how difficult it would be. I see my compulsive de-cluttering as preparation for my death and as something that will make my partner’s life a little bit easier down the road.

Of course the deeper truth here is my desperate need to control something, anything.  I can’t control my cancer. I can’t control how my body reacts to cancer treatments. I can’t control the myriad of complications that arise. But I can control how much stuff I leave behind and that makes me feel less powerless.

So I continue my regular mini-purges. I keep most of my vintage items, like Pulp Fiction books with wonderful cover art, my hoop earrings circa 1980’s high school years, my pink rotary telephone…

But I’ve given well over half my wardrobe to charity. Since I now have to wear an ileostomy bag, most of my fitted clothes no longer work, so I’ve freed them from their closet shackles so they can now bring joy to other women: women who are suffering in unimaginable ways – fleeing abusive partners, struggling to put food on the table for their kids, trying to kick drug addictions…These women deserve every little spark of joy that I can give them.

Gifts were initially harder for me to part with because of the guilt I felt and I must give credit to Marie Kondo for helping me with this issue. She encourages people to let go of unwanted gifts – with love, gratitude and blessings (or something like that) – and allow others the chance to experience joy.

In my case many of my unwanted gifts were jewelry items. My partner is not a jewelry gift giver, so that wasn’t a problem. And I kept some gifts that had sentimental value: an amber stone ring that my youngest brother gave me, my paternal grandmother’s wedding ring, a beaded Goddess necklace that my best friend gave me twenty-five years ago…But all the other jewelry that I had never worn, I cleaned, then bought individual decorative boxes to put them in before dropping them off at a women’s shelter; they would make beautiful birthday and holiday gifts. By helping another woman feel special, I was also – selfishly – helping myself. For each gift that I gave away I felt my spirits lift. It was as if each box contained a magic potion that wafted out and enveloped me, making me feel, (at least temporarily), very happy.

My partner is weary of my de-cluttering compulsion, I think it makes him a bit uncomfortable; it seems a tad ghoulish. He’s also concerned that I might get rid of something that has sentimental value to him, so I’m very careful and mindful of his feelings.

In the end it’s my cancer journey (though I abhor that expression) and if getting rid of stuff that I have no love or use for helps me cope, then I’m going to continue. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll become a Minimalist.