Take a look around you. Every single item you see represents your choice to have that item in your life. You either chose to purchase the item, or were given the item and chose to keep it. From your new red sweater to the pile of junk mail on your kitchen counter, every item represents a choice made.
When your life is full of clutter, you might begin to resent all the “stuff” around you. Why do you think that happens? Often it is because you don’t LOVE the stuff you are looking at! Maybe the sweater doesn’t fit anymore. Maybe it was an impulse purchase that you now regret. Sometimes we purchase too much of a good thing – who really needs five staplers? – because it is much easier to buy the thing we need than find it in the junk yard that has become our home or office. When someone sends a gift or just gives us something we “have to” have, we often feel obligated to keep it “for a little while.” Let me tell you, I’ve met plenty of people whose “little while” is now 5+ years.
Make a choice NOW to change things. Start small. Pick five items around you. If you don’t absolutely love the item, find it useful/functional, or it doesn’t add beauty to your environment, get rid of it. Ebay, CraigsList, yard sale, trash can. I don’t care – let it go. It doesn’t matter if you paid $100 for it. If you have the receipt, take it back. No receipt? Ebay or donate it. Your peace of mind is more important than $100.
What items are you holding on to that you need to let go of?
I’ll admit that I can be a pack rat. I love to hold on to things I think I may find some use for in the future (but usually never do). Right now my biggest obstacle is in the form of paper. I have old bills, rough drafts of my writing magazines and greeting cards that I can certainly reduce (if we’re being honest, I know I won’t get rid of all of them). But I’ve been working on sorting through them and I’m on my way to some clarity. Woo hoo!
Just purged my entire home, including all my closets, got rid of everything unless it was used within the last year. Feels great. Oh and made over $1500.00 in a garage sale. Amazing what people will buy.
I still have school uniforms from grade school. Every thing I have ever received, I kept.. It might be about that time
Great idea! The older I get the more I have to love it to buy it. That is exactly why we started this new pajama line.
I had drawers of cotton, silk etc pajamas that were cute but uncomfortable and HOT. They did nothing for pain recovery or night sweats. Now that I have goodnighties I donated all my other pjs and have an extra drawer. I do need help though organizing pictures from 20 years ha ha
If you only want the most comfortable, lightweight for travel, newest technology sleepwear on the market go to blog.goodnighties.com and read the comments!
@ Miss Journey – glad to hear that you are making progress. I probably get more calls about “paper issues” than anything else!
@ Charm – One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! In addition to it being amazing what people will buy, isn’t it amazing how much stuff we have that we don’t really need or love?
@ Michelle – It does sound like you might need a good sort and purge session (or two). The first step, as cheesy as it sounds, is realizing it’s time to let go. The next step is doing it! I wish you luck!
@marcia – photos can be a big project. Get some help with it1 I’ll even come over – where are ya? :-/
I did not make that last comment. Someone else did!!!!
Just read this post and it motivated me to get started with my exercising. One hour a week is doable….hopefully it will translate into more.