becomingsara.com

Whidbey Cattle

I’ve been in decluttering mode again for the last couple weeks. I’m suddenly able to let things go that I’d been hanging on to for many years. Not that I used them. Somehow I thought I “needed” to have them. Or not just have them, but not let them go. And suddenly, it’s ok.

One thing I found was that releasing the things with the most emotional attachment also had the biggest freedom effect. After one particularly dramatic trip to the thrift store, I returned to find my apartment felt so much more peaceful- it was almost a different place. As if a particularly annoying low-level hum had stopped.

I’m finding that language can help me break through my attachments. I’ve started thinking in terms of “releasing” and “letting things go.” And I’m less concerned with finding them the perfect home. That’s their job, not mine. (Although I was particularly pleased to pass on some special books to someone who was thrilled to receive them.)

I’m also starting to think of things as being nomadic. They lived with me for a while, and now they’re on to new adventures.

No, I wouldn’t call myself a minimalist. As SED reminded me, the idea isn’t to get rid of everything. The idea is to keep the things that bring you joy, and release the ones that don’t.

I’ve been working on some links to share, in case you’re interested. Here’s the new Simplicity Links page.

This is a work in progress, so I’d love to know if you have favorites that I’ve missed.

broom, originally uploaded by Schnittke.

• The entry to my home feels more welcoming.
• My kitchen “feels” cleaner, and even a bit larger.
• I’m more willing/able to work on a project that’s bogged down.
• Sweeping for a while can clear up feelings of overwhelm.

Give it a try, and report back. I’d love to know if this works for others as well as it does for me!

Decluttering/space clearing is a journey of discovery.

As I make my weekly pilgrimage to the storage unit, I bring back boxes of things that I had formerly thought of as essential to my happiness. Sorting through them, I realize that: I’ve been without them for over a year, I’ve been happy anyway, and they’re (mostly) going right back to storage at the end of October. So, just how essential are they?

Unpacking and sorting them, I uncover not just possessions, but old patterns and attitudes. Some are easy to discard; I’ve moved on. Others, I see as areas that need more examination. Just why am I keeping these things? What do they mean to me?  Are they truly essential? Is there another way to reframe this? Is there a way to gently release them? Or do I need to wait?

One of the challenges is that my life is in flux. How do I know that I won’t need X in my future? So another question is: if I do decide I need it, how difficult is it to replace?

I’m trying to keep William Morris’s advice in mind: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”

Here are some books I’ve found to be useful on this journey.

Do you have any tips, books or websites to recommend?