I know that it took years for us to acquire all of our belongings and that things can't just disappear overnight. I mean, they could if I were to just toss everything out, but I want to make a proper assessment about each item. I am looking at every item individually and determining whether it would make a good gift for someone I know, if it should be thrown out, sold at a yard sale or donated to Goodwill.
In all honesty, I know that most of the things I own, I can do without. For this I am thankful. I have shelter, food on the table, clothes and shoes, as does my family. Everything else is a bonus.
So, we're having a yard sale this coming weekend and I'm going to try to sell as much as I can. Actually, I wish I could just invite people into my home and say "give me an offer or anything you want!" But my husband won't let me do that. If it were up to me, I'd get rid of the large TV in the living room (I'd keep the smaller one in the bed room), I'd get rid of the the coffee table, most of our movies, CDs, toys, extra wine glasses, and so much more.
You know, at one point, I started looking for a bigger place thinking we had outgrown our current space. Then I realized, the larger the place, the larger the expense, the more money and time to maintain and clean, and who wants to clean when we could be having fun? Not me!
If my circumstances were ideal, I'd say that by the end of this summer (in about six months) my home would be just the way I want it. But, I'm actually moving into a smaller place next month, so the time to declutter is now, and the time frame is one month. Am I overwhelmed? You bet I am! I spent 6 hours this weekend working on my office alone, and it feels as if I only made a small dent. I've sat here just staring at everything wondering how am I going to get it all done. I'm doing a pretty good job sorting everything, not wanting to keep much, but it is also interesting to evaluate my connection with certain things. As I go through every item, I notice how they each make me feel. Some good, some sad, some make me smile, others I can easily part with. For example, I have a stuffed animal my husband gave me a year ago on Valentine's. I hate stuffed animals and have been wanting to get rid of it since he gave it to me. But I kept it because it came from him. Hope his feelings aren't hurt when he see's it out with the rest of our stuff at the yard sale this weekend!
One thing I know for sure. After this move, I do NOT want to accumulate anymore things than what I actually use. Aside from my family, I only want to share my home with things I use on a regular basis, like my toothbrush and pillow.
I feel so strongly about it, for many reasons that I'll need to break up into different blog posts. I think there's a minimalist in me struggling to come out, and that makes me smile. Oh, the peace I feel when I visualize a clean room with much space to be filled with laughter, love and memories. Not things.
From what I've read, I don't expect to narrow down my possessions to 100, or 60, or 33 items as some people have. I do however, love open space. I am not seeking deprivation nor am I hoarder aiming to go from one extreme to another. I think that perhaps, in the last year, God has shed some light over my own priorities. I love my family so much I want spend as much time with them making memories. And believe it or not, owning things takes up so much of your time. You begin by shopping for things, then you spend more time and money maintaining and cleaning your possessions, so much that sometimes you have to cut down time or hold yourself back on spending when it comes to entertainment or fun activities with your family because your possessions took up your extra time and money. Personally, I'd rather be at the park playing Frisbee with my daughter than dusting shelves full of DVD's I don't watch. Wouldn't you?
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