Ready for less?
Move out that clutter
Most of us have clutter EVERYWHERE. How did we get to this place? So overwhelmed with junk that it’s hard to even begin to throw it away. Well, modern culture. But worrying about cause doesn’t help us overcome the anxiety. (Think about that when you have enough room to sit and meditate.) For now, start small.
When I’m feeling the need to purge but can’t figure out where to begin, I turn to my standby favorites. I can ALWAYS find something to throw away in these categories:
Clothing
From stretched out socks to a jacket you love but never wear, there is at least one (more likely 20) thing in your closet that can leave the house. Today.
Try this: decide how much you’d like to own. I.e., how many t-shirts is a reasonable number for you, given your lifestyle, hobbies, laundry habits, etc.? Find your number, then toss until you hit it. If you pull out each one and think about whether to keep it, you’re likely to hold on to a lot of them. This works with shoes, belts — whatever.
Books
I know, I know, you are a BOOK LOVER. These are not mere possessions. They’re more like members of the family. But just as you wouldn’t invite that loud drunken uncle to move in with you, there are surely members of your bookcase family that are not smart, not amusing, and not likely to improve your life. Also, the library. Buck up and recognize that you don’t have to own every single book you have ever read.
Consider gifting them. If there’s a book you really loved but are unlikely to read again, who do you know who would love it? Put it in the mail! Lots of people you know would LOVE to receive a random gift this week.
Bathroom ephemera
Nothing collects junk like a cabinet under the sink. Or over the sink, for that matter. Old medication, melted cough drops, fancy flower-scented soap; there is no end to the stuff that you can purge from the bathroom.
If you, like everyone else, are fond of picking up the tiny toiletries provided in hotels, do yourself and someone else a favor and donate them to your local food bank or pantry. People who can’t afford food can’t afford shampoo, either. They will be happy to use those sample-sizes. You do not need them.
Go forth and purge! Feeling totally overwhelmed? Just get rid of five things if you can’t do the whole room/closet/bookcase. From tiny seeds grow mighty oaks — and from tiny clear-outs grow huge bags of junk you will Never Have To Deal With Again.
