I have spent the few two weeks looking at all of the stuff I have amassed from inheriting from friends and relatives, collecting, etc
We hang onto so much stuff. Mentally, emotionally, physically we are repositories of stuff for ourselves and for other people’s stuff.
Why do we do it? Why do we keep all that stuff around?
There are lots of reasons.
Out of sentimentality or guilt. You believe that you have to hang onto items to remember someone by, or because a particular person gave it to you or made it for you. You believe that if you get rid of those keepsakes that it is dishonoring of that person.
Longing or hope of recovering. You hold onto some items in the hope that if you keep it, the past that it represents will not fade away or may even come back.
Hope of gain. You think you can sell it for a lot of money or SHOULD at least be able to get some money out of it so you keep hanging onto it saying you are going to sell it. Sometimes you think you are being cheated out of money; or the person who made that thing is being dishonored or cheated, if you give the item away rather than selling it.
Weariness or laziness. Often just thinking about sorting through all your stuff is so exhausting that you just give up and decide it is easier to keep all of it!
Do you experience any of that?
As I said, I have been going through my stuff and have experience ALL of those and more.
As I was going through some of my parents’ things recently, I found a pencil holder I had painted for my mom when I was around 5 and a vest I had crocheted for my dad when I was around 10. They still had those items. Mom was still using the pencil holder on their desk.
So I get it. You keep those items to remember the caring involved and represented by them.
I am not saying that you need to get rid of everything; however, can you begin to let go of some of the clutter, some of the piles of stuff that are not really serving any purpose?
As I am sorting, I have been asking the items some questions:
- Do I really need to keep you?
- Will you enrich my life or my business?
- Will you bring me joy?
- Is there a better way of honoring you without keeping you? (maybe taking a picture or giving it to a family member or friend who likes it)
It isn’t necessarily an easy process and there have been tears involved, but when I took the 12 boxes of stuff for donation and the other stuff for recycling, it was such a weight off of me. And it is just the beginning.
So I invite you to start letting it go.
I have an empty box in the closet and just keep adding things to it. When the box is full, it goes to charity.
It’s a great way to unburden me and my living space.
Give it a try.
Let that stuff go!!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Want an energetic cleaning tool? Get my Return To Sender tool here:
