The great purge

Why does getting rid of stuff feel so liberating?

Making snack hour a little fancier

I’ve spent most of this weekend purging and packing while we prepare to move. (Not going far, just within Brooklyn. But a move is still a move!). There’s nothing like a move to force you to confront how much stuff you own. Why do I still have a drawer full of sheet masks that all expired in 2019? What do I even do with my pre-pandemic work wardrobe, all the blazers, dress pants, shift dresses, heels taking up valuable closet and dresser space even though I haven’t worn them in a year and probably won’t wear them for at least another year? Do I really need all these statement necklaces I bought in like, 2014? Every time I move I end up swearing I’m going to Marie Kondo all my possessions and become a minimalist, the kind of person who has a capsule wardrobe with just five sweaters and four shirts and three pairs of jeans.

As hard as it is to part with some things at first (I had so many good memories wearing that sweater, even though it’s pilling and I haven’t worn it in three years!) it also feels incredibly liberating once you start to build some momentum and just really get rid of as much stuff as you can. Purging starts to feel really great. I feel lighter afterwards, freed from the burden of all that extra stuff. And a new apartment feels like a fresh start, an opportunity to make my living space my perfect dream home. This apartment is going to be different, I always tell myself. I’m not going to let it get as cluttered as before, I’ll dust every weekend, I’ll make the bed every day, I’m going to have perfectly styled Instagrammable bookshelves.

Of course, reality always catches up with me. No one’s home looks as perfect in reality as it does on Instagram, and my apartment is not going to look like the Instagrammy home of my dreams just because I purged a bunch of stuff. But I can still try, right?

Good things to read

This week, I’ve got a guest curator helping out! Meet Chrissy Hennessey, who writes the always delightful newsletter So Relatable. (I also guest curated Chrissy’s newsletter picks today, which you can read over here!). Here’s more about Chrissy:

Hello! I'm Chrissy, novelist, optimist, and author of So Relatable, a bi-weekly newsletter that helps creative folks improve their craft, achieve their goals, and eat better snacks. Thanks to Nisha for the introduction, and I hope you enjoy these links! 

Chrissy’s picks:

Why You To-Do List Never Ends, The Atlantic. 

Turns Out It's Pretty Good: Tracking My Steps, The Cut. I'm that nerd that tracks my habits, counts my macros, and keeps a spreadsheet of every book I've read since 2013. This article was right up my alley. 

A Kitchen Resolution Worth Making: Follow the Recipe Exactly, New York Times. I'm an Upholder (if you know, you know) and can confirm that this is very good advice! 

Why Remote Work May Render the 5 Day Workweek Obsolete, Fast Company. Like most of corporate America, I've been WFH since March and I actually... like it??? As this article points out, flexibility is key. 

In Favor of Speed: Write Fast, Fix Later, Literary Hub. I'm a slow and meticulous writer, so this perspective was refreshing. 

Nisha’s picks:

Cooks turned Instagram into the world’s greatest takeout menu, New York Times.

Now that I’m getting married, I need a bamboo cheese board, The New Yorker. Wedding registries make absolutely no sense! (And I say that as a married person who did have a wedding registry)

Diamonds aren’t special and neither is your love, The Atlantic. On the meaning we give diamonds and what they symbolize in our relationships.

Nextdoor is quietly replacing the small-town paper, OneZero/Medium.

Confessions of a Venmo voyeur, Medium.

Who’s making all those scam calls?, New York Times Magazine. A fascinating deep dive into those extremely annoying calls you get multiple times a day.

Sarah Jessica Parker misses restaurants so much it hurts, Grubstreet. Of course, SJP’s Grubstreet Diet is perfect.

Good things to cook

Chrissy’s picks:

I live in coastal North Carolina, where winters are mostly mild. Not this week! It's been cold and rainy, which is a great excuse to eat The Kitchn's All-Star Baked Ziti four nights in a row. I also made excellent everything bagels (as a native Long Islander, my standards are high). And if you're trying to eat less meat in 2021, this recipe for Lemon Pepper Tofu has become a staple in my house. Easy, delicious, and the perfect amount of crunch - what could be better? 

Nisha’s picks:

This week I once again made these incredible harissa chicken and feta meatballs. I also made these braised short ribs with squash and chile, a perfect simmer-all-day Sunday cooking project. And for a quick and very easy dinner, sheet pan sausage and peppers.

---

Thanks for reading! If you like this newsletter, you can click the “heart” at the top of this post on Substack or share it on social media or forward to a friend — they can subscribe at nishachittal.substack.com. You can also leave a comment on this post to tell me what you think! And you can follow me on Twitter here and Instagram here.