Decluttering

This is a major decluttering phase for me. I was always one who prided myself on keeping things to a minimum. Well, I now realize how wrong I was. Today, two trunk loads of stuff went to Goodwill. Also, there were a number of grocery bags full that went to the trash. The garbage cans are presently overflowing. Thankfully, tomorrow is trash day so I can start all over again.

It is an exciting process. This is the phase that is easy. Much of my day was spent walking back and forth grabbing items along the way. There is so much that can be discarded without much effort or thought. One would think it hard but it really is not. The mindset is important though. The tendency is to fall into the old behavior to hold onto things. However, it was fleeting at this time. Of course, I stated many times this is only round 1. There will be more to clear out.

A couple of things that I learned through this process. Once you decide to rid yourself of one thing, all the accessories can go with it. It is amazing how much we have to purchase to support a decision.

Some of the examples that we encountered today:

-The decision to not hang anything else on the walls meant that all the picture hangers and wall mounting studs could be tossed.

-By getting rid of electronics I suddenly didnt need nearly as many power strips nor extension cords.

-A large number of hangers were taken to Goodwill since my clothing was cut in half.

The next phase will be a bit more difficult. However, I realize now what needs to be done. I cannot stress enough the importance of taking inventory of things. The best way to approach this is to take everything out of the closet or drawer and count it. Then, decide what the needed number is. For example, I did this with the coffee mugs. After pulling them out, I found out we had 10. This is an extraordinary amount for two people. I decided to reduce to 4 (for the moment since 2 will be the end number). That meant 6 could go. I did the same thing with my pants, shorts, and dress shirts.

My mindset is to keep focusing on how minimal can I get with the things that I have. Do I really need all that I am hanging onto? The answer is no. If I had to leave tomorrow, how difficult would it be? At present, extremely. I realize that I still am holding onto way too much stuff. The next couple of weeks will equate to more progress. I know how important it is for me to minimize in my life. Freedom is tied to it.