????????????????????????????????????Well, are you?
We all have “stuff”; you know, THAT stuff …
The stuff that we store away in our wardrobes, at the back of the top shelf. Or, are you more of an “under the bed” kind of person? The stuff we can’t bear to get rid of. The clothes that we may just get back into one day. The cocktail dress that you just may need for the posh party you just may get invited to at Christmas. Old books, shoes, cookware, someone else’s holiday souvenirs that they bought for you, unwanted presents, soft toys, etc etc.
What do you hold on to?
Having moved so much over the time I have lived in the UK, I generally de-clutter every so often. I especially had to do this when I downsized from a 3-bedroom house to a 1.5 bedroom house quite a few years ago! I make it a point whenever I buy new clothes, or when my new allocation of kit arrives from Reebok, to have a clear out; to replace like with like.
I will admit that I find getting rid of books so much harder. So, what I tend to do is donate my books to the local library. Then, I know that they are there should I need them again.
And in reality, I never have.
And, with Kindle, I tend to have less physical books in my bookshelf.
What about your loft and/or garage? I don’t have either, but what is in yours? What do you have in them? Bicycles? Boxes of stuff? Old, broken equipment?
About 20 years ago, I had a Feng Shui lady come round the house I was living in at the time, and she made me de-clutter, including the loft. “All that bad, heavy energy pressing down on you,” she said.
So, why am I writing about this today? Well, aside from physical clutter that we may hoard (for sentimental reasons, of course), we also hoard mental and emotional clutter.
We are all living, breathing human beings. We are alive and as such, we accumulate “stuff” along the road called “life”. Whether we like it or not, we are exposed to what life throws our way; good, or bad. Sometimes, we take the time to lick our wounds, bathe it, nurse it, and care for it. Other times, we tend to just dust ourselves off and get on with life.
Either way, the scars, the “stuff”, leave an imprint in our hearts, in our minds and in our souls. Some of these we remember, vividly; others, we forget. Whether or not we forget, ALL of this “stuff” affects us. We become resilient, we develop compensating behaviour, we put on another layer of armour.
The more this happens, the more we move further away from who we truly are.
We forget what is important to us, and we just tick over. Same ole, same ole. One day to the next.
My wish for you is that you realise that we all need to de-clutter. How can we bring more stuff into our lives if we have not got the space for it? Do a physical de-clutter this weekend. Just that act will help you feel great. So, can you imagine when you do a mental/emotional de-clutter? What about de-cluttering your social circle? Ooooooo … there is a thought!
As much as a physical de-clutter feels good; a mental/emotional/social de-clutter can be hugely liberating and empowering. It will give you the space to move on; get rid of the old and in with the new. Choose wisely which pieces you would love to hang on to, that will continue to serve you on your journey ahead. Dump the rest!
I am not saying this will be easy, and it could take you a long time. Perhaps you may need someone to talk to, to help you, as you may not be able to de-clutter alone.
Do it! Ask! There are more genuine people around, who do care and who do want to help. You just need to ask.
Till next time … x
