SIMPLIFY: THE JOY IN GETTING RID OF STUFF

Since I have just gotten done packing and moving into a new house, I have had the opportunity to simplify and get rid of stuff.

And, yes, I do mean “opportunity”!

Moving to a new house means that you are forced to go through every single item that you own.  You have to handle it and think about it before placing it into a box.  This proved to be the perfect time to really consider what was worth keeping and what could go.

To give you an idea of how much stuff I got rid of I had 2 large garage sales, I emptied three full dumpsters before moving (and countless trashcans), I have given things away to friends like crazy, and I have made 3 trips to the thrift store since moving.

And I can’t tell you how good it feels.

I feel light.  My house and the items in it feel manageable.  And even after everything has been unpacked, I still have room on my shelves in a house that is 1/3 the size of the one I moved out of.

My life feels manageable again.  When I was first on my own, several years ago, I was surprised to find a large amount of clutter in my house.  In general, my house is neat and tidy, but at that time I found that closets and drawers were stuffed with years of “junk”.  For me, this was a sign of what was in my heart: clutter saved for no reason that needed to be moved out!

As I started to move things out and really examine what I was keeping, my heart felt lighter.  Mentally, life started to feel do-able again.  For me, clutter is a sign that I am not dealing with things. I am shoving stuff in closets to be dealt with at a later date.

And I think most of us know that is not a healthy way to live.

My recent move entailed a lot of family items.  My kid’s old toys, things from the time when I was married…5 bedrooms packed with furniture.  It was emotional going through it all, but it was also cleansing.  At first it felt like I was getting rid of memories, but it didn’t take long to grab hold of the fact that the memories all stay with me, no matter where I live.  Memories aren’t in things…they live in our hearts.  No one can take that away.

So, here I am in my new house.  My house is 1/3 the size of the one I moved out of.  Almost everything is unpacked, and I still have a little bit of room on my shelves.  And I want to keep it that way.  I don’t want to accumulate rooms full of dusty junk again.

I want my house to be full of items that I love and that I use.  No more saving things for special occasions.  The occasion is now!

Coming home to a simple life has taken some time.  But the joy of getting rid of things far outweighs carrying them around with me for no reason.  I feel free of the burden of stuff.

And who among us doesn’t want more freedom?