Tired of all the Clutter?

Recently, I have put much thought into the clutter that is both in my mind and in my house.  Close to retirement several years ago, my husband and I decided to downsize as far as the size of our home (no more two stories to climb up and down) goes so that we could have a smaller mortgage, get our cars paid off and enjoy these years now that we were out of the rat race.

Yes, much of that downsizing took place, but I still had items passed down to us from our deceased parents.  The smaller house needs more storage.  My husband continues to remind me that I need to get rid of things, and as you probably know, my transient lifestyle during childhood didn’t allow me to hold on to too many extras.  But my mother liked nice things, and since my sister wasn’t into that sort of thing, I am now the proud owner of her pretty things.  I love to hold onto sentimental items.

As much of my time in the last couple of years has been devoted to writing my blog and memoir, my office has become extremely cluttered, and I’ve now got to do something about it.  I’ve heard that creative people have messy offices or workspaces.  I’ve also read that clutter blocks creative space in your head.  So, I’m going to make it a goal of mine to start with one stack at a time, read the articles, and sift through the items to keep them, donate them, or toss them.

I want you to hold me accountable, but I’m not giving you any hard dates to follow.  And the reason is that I’m having surgery the first of June, so I will need a month to recover before I hit the room running.

Why do you think we continue to accumulate things?  Does it bring happiness?  I think we attempt to keep up with society by gathering possessions.  We are challenged with keeping track of all our items, and if we can’t easily access them, we go out and purchase them again—a vicious circle.  If we just think about it, the stuff doesn’t add much value to our lives.  It can often make us feel overwhelmed, anxious, and sometimes even depressed.

The hard part is setting aside time to go through that closet, boxes in the attic, or crawlspace.  When taking the plunge to alleviate extra clutter, remember that when deciding where these material possessions are to be relocated, choose the items that are your favorite.  Or, as Marie Condo says, “That makes you happy.”  Then you will have kept what has meaning and which you enjoy each day.

One stumbling block for me is my clothes.  As I have acquired a few pounds over the years, I keep clothes that do not fit anymore.  I know that’s silly as I should donate so someone else can wear those clothes.  I recently heard an excellent way to decide on clothes is each six months; if you have worn a piece of clothing, turn the hanger backward, then you know you’ve worn it.  All others should be donated.  I will try this, but I’m not sure I will be successful – I don’t know until I try.

Find happiness in decluttering. Start with the smallest area, and don’t get down on yourself.  Stay positive and know that even if you only get to a couple of closets this year, that is an accomplishment and go from there.

A couple of great websites I’ve located that are helpful are:

• https://www.theminimalists.com/
• https://thehabitat.com/life/less-is-more-how-to-live-a-minimalist-lifestyle/?style=quick&utm_source=adwords-hab&utm_medium=c-search&utm_term=how%20to%20be%20a%20minimalist&adid=456592409256&ad_group_id=108403784562&utm_campaign=HAB-USA_-_Search_-_less_is_more_how_to_live_a_minimalist_lifestyle_-_Desktop&gclid=CjwKCAjw67ajBhAVEiwA2g_jEBHJr8tiL4f_uBmNDkNBEEEUmhue83ucvDikD-viv98FQUu4re9e_BoCrqIQAvD_BwE
• https://barefootminimalists.com/

Happy decluttering!

All my best,

Julie

Throw Kindness Around Like Confetti