Finding Joy in Decluttering: When You’ve Had Enough of the STUFF
As Fall is starting to roll around in Texas, it has rained, the mornings are a bit more pleasant and honestly we have whipped out our sweatshirts (if only because the calendar says it’s time). And with Thanksgiving right around the corner - literally less than four weeks away, it got me thinking. What’s the meaning of stuff?
We ‘stuff’ a Turkey - meaning to cram it full of veggies and seasonings or maybe even gluten free bread to serve on the side. We push back from the table, definitely more in the winter months, and declare “I am stuffed” (to which I suppose means I couldn’t possibly cram one more morsel in at this time).
We call our junk drawer just ‘stuff’ when literally there might be no organization or maybe it's odds and ends that don’t really have a home, so we just throw it in a drawer together. And if you are like us - you have moved and you just call your belongings… STUFF. If you ask me, ‘stuff’ is starting to have a really negative connotation.
The big question is where does STUFF go to live? I mean we moved in April, roughly seven months ago, and it seems that my stuff now has stuff. Seriously, our garage has become the catch all and as the weather is cooling down and the threat of rain seems imminent it is only fitting that we start to make a path to be able to functionally use our garage for cars (and not the stuff).
Prioritizing the “stuff”
Yes, we downsized and in February and March of this year I started a massive decluttering project before we moved. It was essential but also extremely cathartic and important for me to not only get rid of things but to literally take inventory of what we actually owned or possessed.
Don’t get me wrong, I love shoes as much as the next girl - but I had to ask myself, do I really need 30 pairs of shoes or 10 pairs of sneakers? Well maybe, but I digress. Seriously though, I work from home (a great blessing) and I have the privilege of not wearing shoes if I don’t want to. So, what’s the point of having said shoes if you only wear them three times a year? If you ask me - there isn’t one, so I donated. Someone else would surely benefit from my gently used belongings.
Maybe for you it isn’t shoes - maybe it’s clothes, electronics, or books. Ask yourself honestly, if you often forget you have them, or only use them once in a great while - is it really worth holding on to?
What to do when you’re too overwhelmed to start
Truthfully, I was dreading taking on this decluttering project, but as the hours of daylight lessen and we aren’t able to be outside as long as we were in July, I tend to struggle with my mood, and I read that gently cleaning or tackling some clutter has been proven to help. So, no more excuses. UNTIL…I walked straight into that garage that is filled with STUFF!
I halted in my tracks. Instantly, I was overwhelmed. I turned right back around, went inside, made myself a cup of tea and decided to THINK about whether this is what I really wanted to do. Then, I remembered the impending garage sale.
I’ll be honest, I put a garage sale on the calendar because I thrive with deadlines (under pressure as the song goes). While I don’t suspect the sale will actually happen, the threat of it is helping me make significant progress. So here are a few helpful hints to get you started too.
Start small, it doesn’t have to be a big project or a big deal. Instead of tackling the whole garage, begin with a shelf or two or set a 45 minute timer.
Keep the goal in mind – in my case, we downsized so cramming our favorite possessions into a home that is half the size made no sense unless I wanted to be known as the neighborhood hoarder.
Don’t wait to start until the clutter is out of control – Remind yourself that small decluttering from time to time (perhaps quarterly) is way better than once a year or once every few years. Small makes it manageable.
Make three piles: Yes (aka keep), No(aka Donate/Sell/Trash), and Unsure. As time wanes and the project ends, I set a boundary with myself to go back to the unsure pile and move it to one pile or the other.
Don’t shame yourself over sentiment – I know I said before – “if you only see / wear / use an item three times a year is it really worth keeping?!” But some items are worth an exception. For example, I have a fondue pot that I don’t even use every year but will never get rid of. You see, for me, it is a very real and vivid reminder of Christmas Eves of the past with my parents, godparents and our families. We all still have fondue pots and pull them out from time to time. Just looking at it brings me joy – so it stays a yes item and that’s okay!
How long should decluttering take?
You might ask how’s it going? Well I am still working on the garage and the looming self imposed deadline is about to pass.
I was beginning to feel majorly stressed until I realized that it often takes folks more than seven years to feel settled in their home. Whew! What a relief. I don’t want it to take seven years, but it was a very strong reminder that it is not a competition and there isn’t a finish line. The more important thing is to find joy in the process. It goes faster, you make clearer decisions, and your energy is contagious when you offer yourself some grace, take your time, laugh along the way. Who knows, you might just find your fondue pot or the random box that has something you had completely forgotten.
So amidst the decluttering, look for the memories in your treasures and let me know how it’s going. And I’ll let you know when we get to park in the garage.
