Blog
How letting go of stuff improved my life: 3 ways to begin decluttering
March 21, 2016 | ||
I kept a 10 foot by 20 foot storage unit in rural Minnesota for 13 years. I didn’t live in Minnesota any of those years; I was busy exploring other parts of the country and didn’t want to bring everything with me until I felt like I was going to settle somewhere. (Ha. I’ve lived in four states and three different time zones since loading it up and leaving the lovely Land of 10,000 Lakes.)
Thankfully, I didn’t have so much stuff that the unit was full; I took it because it was only $35 per month. (I know, right?) And, the company never raised the rate (I know, right?).
Regardless, there came the time for finally reckoning with it.
I decided it was time to have all my stuff with me for the first time since leaving grad school, which meant spending four days on the hot and humid prairie amidst dust and the relics of my past, sifting, sorting and deciding what was worth putting in a truck and driving 1000 miles.
To say it was an amazing and challenging process is an understatement.
I revisited a past relationship, shed some tears as well as laughed out loud, and felt gratitude for it.
I was stunned at how much I had forgotten I had.
I truly was baffled about why I had 25% of it.
I was pleased with how well things were preserved and how little damage had occurred in that many harsh winters and blistering summers.
It felt a bit surreal getting back in touch with parts of myself I had forgotten about: I had changed so much. Many things that used to hold so much meaning now felt almost lifeless.
(If you’re familiar with “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo, you know that she insists you touch everything you own and ask if it brings you joy. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a delightful little read with good advice about reducing your stuff and living in a more organized, healthy, lovely fashion. I didn’t touch every single item, as I had labeled everything extensively when I packed it all up, so some boxes I knew were keepers, things like my parents’ wedding china and crystal.)
It was joyous to reconnect with those things that still mattered, and an interesting reflection on how I was the same, how our essential self, our core is always there inside.
The result: I let go of about two-thirds of my stuff. Here's what I learned:
I have found all of these true for me, and for the people I’ve coached on decluttering and downsizing (it is a true passion of mine, and I love helping people for whom it’s daunting and scary and seems impossible). I have continued to downsize and created a daily declutter habit. My life has transformed in many ways as a result:
I can hear some of you saying, “Okay, that's what I want, but where do I start?”
First, take pressure off yourself right now: There is no absolute right or wrong place to start. Anywhere you start is going to be the right place for you. Starting is what matters.
Here is what I recommend, that you can do today, and not be completely overwhelmed:
Letting go can be a very cathartic process, a satisfying activity, a profound time of rediscovery and inspiration, can provide awareness into what makes you tick or has dragged you down, or some combination of all these things.
Letting go lightens us up: It helps us sustain our physical world, reduces emotional baggage, allows for clearer thinking, and helps lift our spirits, when before, everything felt heavy.
++++++++
|
Comments
5 CommentsLeave a Comment
Return to Blog Main Page