Sometimes, Less Really Is More
“When things aren’t adding up in your life, start subtracting.” ~Anonymous
Are you overwhelmed by all the clutter in your life? Is it time to declutter your home? When you’re walking through your house, do you sometimes feel stuck or cramped? Not enough “room to move”? Is your closet starting to look like a landfill?
Stop it. And take heed of a ‘law of attraction’ that’s as old as the hills: “Get rid of the old to make room for the new.”
Let’s cut to the chase: we all know everything is made up of energy. Our bodies, our clothes, our bills, our space, and most importantly, our thoughts. Most of us believe our homes are supposed to be a refuge from the daily grind. Yes? A place to relax, recharge, reboot and dream.
But what’s really going on where you live? (Or where you work?) Are your closets insanely disorganized? Is every drawer a junk drawer? Does it take you 45 minutes to find an important document? Are you drowning in chaos?
Perhaps it’s time to take an honest, clear-eyed look at your “stuff” and make some hard, but healthy decisions.
Two years ago, I got rid of EVERYTHING. And I mean EVERYTHING.
I was looking for serious change in my life and intuitively I knew it was time to dump my stuff. I started with the closets. Standing in front of one of them, I made two piles: Yes or No. That’s it. If I hadn’t worn something for a year, it went out the door. There was no time for lying to myself. If I hadn’t worn a dress for 12 months, it was gonzo! Then, on to the next closet. Same thing. Two piles: Yes or No. By keeping it simple, I found this “process” was MUCH easier.
That weekend, I had my girlfriends over for cheese, wine & a BIG-time giveaway. If they wanted something in the “going out the door” pile, it was theirs.
Within just a couple of days, I felt a significant shift. I was freer, lighter and totally open for good things to come into my life.
I actually felt high, yet grounded and completely clear-minded.
Wow! I feel this good, I thought, all because I cleaned out my closets?!?!
The Joy of Living Less
A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize and Simplify Your Life - by Francine Jay
“Before we can take control of our stuff, we need to change our relationship with it. We’ll define it, see it for what it is and what it isn’t, and examine it’s effects on our lives.”
I quickly moved on to my kitchen, then the office, living room, bedrooms and bathrooms. Within a couple of weeks my place was totally cleared out. I’d sold tons of stuff on eBay, gave 20 boxes of stuff to Goodwill, and in the process set my soul free.
I felt like I’d been reborn.
As an added bonus, I had a bunch of extra cash in the bank (who knew your old stuff could be worth so much?) and my destiny was waiting for me.
I quickly moved on to getting my bills in order – yep, everything went on auto-pay and was scheduled in my calendar. Check.
I stopped making plans to go out four nights a week, and instead made plans to write a book and map out a more empowered, kick-ass future for myself. Check. Check.
Fast forward two years: I wrote the book ( Enlightenment is Sexy: Every Woman's Guide to a Magical Life), started two companies, and moved across the country.
Now, none of this would have been possible if I hadn’t taken that first step to clear out the crap that was subtly (or not so subtly) holding me down. Something so simple truly set me free.
This is how you do it:
Start small -- maybe a drawer or a coat closet. But don’t forget to watch how you feel both during and afterward.
Make a plan -- pencil in on your calendar what project you’re going to tackle. For example, on Monday, write: “7-8 pm -- clear out laundry room.”
Start Sorting -- get rid of anything you don’t really need. Don’t think too hard about this -- just take action.
Goodbye Sale -- anything you can put up on eBay, sell it. If you don’t have the time to sell it yourself, find someone who can do it for you. I promise, you’ll be shocked how much cash you can make off of your old stuff.
Donate -- whatever is left over, give it away. This is serious good karma. Pay it forward.
Relax -- now, sit back and watch the magic flow into your life.
You’ll likely wonder how you ever lived with all that “stuff” before. Immediately, your mind will be freed up to start this or that project you’ve been thinking about. Or you’ll feel like having some friends over, because your home just feels so much better!
Sure, getting started is the hardest part . . . but once you’re done, people, hallelujah, will you feel good!!!
Let me know: Have you ever had this experience?
How did you tackle your clutter?
What happened next for you?