When decluttering and minimizing becomes a priority it might leave you feeling overwhelmed. Or confused with where to start. To make starting more appealing, I always suggest you do what I call a quick declutter and tackle the obvious first. Things like knick-knacks, duplicates, clothes that you don’t wear, books that you’ve already read (or will never read) fall into that category. I don’t usually suggest you start with things that carry a lot of emotional weight because they often require more thinking and deciding.
Sometimes – often times – you need a boost of motivation and a little instant gratification to get you in the groove. And that is what starting with the obvious clutter can do. When you start there, you literally and figuratively make more room – in your space and head. It is that space that helps you address the more difficult things that pull on heartstrings or feel more complicated to let go of.
That load lightening pays huge dividends.
You will always run into things you are unsure of. You might even deem them necessary to keep “just in case”. And that is normal; you will just want to go back over those items and run through these questions to solidify their place in your space.
When doing this work – especially if you are doing it alone – there are four things I highly recommend you do not let go of. Yes, in fact, there are things I would suggest you never purge because doing so will leave you more stressed.
Ready to purge? Don’t let go of these four things:
1. Sense of humor
Humor puts everything right back into perspective. My mother, who is a humorist national speaker teaches people how to find the funny in things. Doing so makes what is daunting or stressful feel doable simply because it brings you joy. When you feel joy in your life your feel lighter. And lightness begets lightness. Whether it is recalling something funny in an item you wish to purge, or making light of the situation you are in, keeping humor as part of the process will aid in your joy-filled progress.
2. Your vision for how you want to feel
While you might never completely purge your vision, you often you might lose sight of it. Be sure when you are deep in the throws of letting go that you recall your “why” for doing this work in the first place. Why do you want to be free of clutter? What “more” can you do with “less” in your life? Remember how you want to feel and use it as motivation to keep you moving through the obstacles and fear that will no doubt pop up in your purge.
3. Your willingness to create change in your life
You might have gotten yourself into a bit of a mess in the clutter department but it doesn’t have to define who you are or what you can do. When you have a willingness to change, you can learn anything necessary to make that change a reality. You are able to lighten the load, let go of the mess, and create streamlined systems so long as you choose to put your energy and time into them.
4. Rest
Never – ever – sacrifice rest in the name of doing more. You didn’t get into your stuffed situation overnight. You aren’t going to get out of it that quickly either. A steady pace, like the marathon that purging tends to be, infused with enough rest will rejuvenate your body and get you to the same finish line. Just without too much intensity and stress.
Don’t delay joy. Keep your vision clear and focused. And stay open to change. And take a break for your well-being sake.
You will consistently make progress with your purge and in creating a life you love.
