What is weighing you down?
What is weighing you down?
Last month I shared with you the three phrases I chose for 2024:
Live lightly;
Live open-handedly;
Land softly.
I’ve been thinking a lot about the amount of stuff I have. My husband and I finally cleaned out one of our smaller rooms that we have used as a guest room/storage room for years. Over the previous months, we had been putting stuff in the room willy-nilly, just shutting the door behind us so we didn’t have to look at it. But, I knew what was in there whether I could see it or not. Shutting the door may have made it visually disappear, but it didn’t disappear in my mind. That room was a weight I carried mentally. I kept telling myself I needed to get in there and organize it. However, I kept putting it off. So, when the time came to retrieve something I knew was in there, I had the worst time finding it and then getting to it. I was super frustrated and angry. I finally made myself (and volunteered my husband to help) get in there and clean it up. And, I felt so much better when it was done! Lighter. Because I got rid of stuff and because I now know where things are stored.
How do you feel about your stuff? Your physical stuff. Your possessions. Do you feel good when you look around your house? Peaceful? Or do you feel frustrated? Chaotic?
All stuff costs us something. And, it might be a financial cost, but always there is a psychological cost.
Having too much stuff can weigh us down…literally.
In her book, The Joy of Less: A Minimalist Guide to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify, Francine Jay says, “We can literally feel heavy and lethargic in a cluttered room, too tired and lazy to get up and accomplish anything.” Have you ever felt this way? I know I have. Is it hard to maneuver in your space? Are their piles of stuff everywhere?
Maybe you have stuff shoved in drawers and closets and it’s out of sight. But, it’s never truly out of mind. Stuff can weigh us down figuratively too. Maybe because you have too much of it. Maybe some of it emotionally triggers you. Maybe you get frustrated because you can’t find anything. Or maybe you are stressed because you keep purchasing things and feel guilty for the time and money you have spent on them.
The truth is, we are the gatekeepers of what comes into our homes. We get to decide what we allow through our doors. And, it’s okay to say “no room for you” to something.
William Morris famously said, “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” This is a good reminder to me as I determine what I allow in my home. Do I think it’s beautiful? Or, am I going to use this?
I am reminding you that you get to decide what you allow into your home.
Jay says, “Things can be anchors.” They can strap us down financially, true. But they can also weigh on our spirits. She goes on to say that “When we are no longer chained to our stuff, we can savor life, connect with others, and participate in our communities.”
What stuff are you ready to let go of? I want to know. And, I can help.
Let's live lightly together.