And because we’re downsizing to a much smaller space, we’ve only begun to scratch the surface of decluttering. By the time we’re ready to move, about half of what’s in this house will be gone. Maybe more. Hopefully more. As a minimalist, this feels like a party! And it’s quite liberating. Because too much stuff around makes me feel like I’m suffocating.
Moving is not my favourite thing in the world and it can be quite a hassle, but it’s definitely a great way to get rid of things we don’t want, need or ever use.
Do you enjoy decluttering?
I'm a big devotee of decluttering! Too much stuff around me makes me feel like I'm suffocating. LOVE that cartoon, LOL!
ReplyDeleteSuffocation by an abundance of clutter...that would definitely happen to me! I like open and airy spaces, and too much stuff sucks that right up! That cartoon made me laugh out loud because that is definitely me. Just ask my husband! When I get into the 'time to throw out crap' mood, everyone is afraid! LOL...
DeleteWe do tend to accumulate too much "stuff". I have noticed that I personally feel happier and, admittedly, less anxious when I done a serious decluttering. There is a wonderful sense of freedom when space is cleared of extraneous brick-a-brack, it's like being able to take a deep breath. Unfortunately I need to do this more frequently and also refrain from bringing in more "stuff" to replace the "stuff" that I've either tossed, donated or sold.
ReplyDeleteThat is so true; there is definitely a wonderful sense of freedom when space is cleared. I think clutter weighs us down!
DeleteHaha! I do love the cartoon! When I worked for some people helping them pack for a move I sure felt like getting rid of my own stuff when I got back home! Some people (intentionally or not) keep everything! (Including kitchen spices with due dates from the 70s...though I did mention them to the lady while packing, and she let me throw them away. In retrospect, maybe I should have asked to keep them to donate to a museum...) ;) Anyway, it was a lot of fun. Just thinking about it, I wonder if I should clean out my desk or closet again!
ReplyDeleteHahaha...that is funny! Those spices certainly could be a museum exhibition :) I certainly get a kick out of cleaning out spaces. And I'm especially happy when it's items that can be donated. Someone will get to enjoy whatever I have no need for anymore.
DeleteJust love de-cluttering.
ReplyDeleteI have been sorting paperwork today - and it went so well, I'm feeling good!
All the best Jan
It sounds great. Like a breath of fresh air!
DeleteI love to declutter, Martha! I hate being overloaded with possessions. But I do find some things difficult to part with ~ those with emotional attachment. And don't ever get between me and my National Geographic collection!
ReplyDeleteI knew you were at a university residence. What an exciting time for your daughter! I like staying in student dorms when I'm traveling in the summer. We spent 5 nights at a dorm at the University of Victoria recently, and it was great ~ as long as you don't mind going to the communal bathrooms in the middle of the night!
Good luck with your continued decluttering and packing!
I had a good laugh with the National Geographic comment! There are some things that cannot be taken away from us :)
DeleteI didn't know until recently that university dorms are used as hotel rooms. That's a great idea and something I will definitely look into when traveling from now on.
Last move we had a big yard sale which thinned things quite a bit then donate and recycled. It dioes make a difference. My main questions as I sort are Will I use that? or Do I want to dust that?
ReplyDeleteHave a blessed day.
Those are great questions to ask. I especially like the one about dusting. The answer, more often than not, is no! And out it goes :)
Deletewe absolutely have to start this process too. We have so much to sift through and I love to clean it out (aka thrown it out, or donate, or recycle, or just OUT!) it is liberating I agree
ReplyDeleteI'm sure you'll love it when you finally get a go at it. It is indeed very liberating!
DeleteGood luck on your move. It's an activity I dread. Love this cartoon. I think it is all about my wife. BTW, you can call your local Habitat ReStore and they will come pick up anything you want to get rid of, assuming it isn't just trash.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea! A lot of the stuff we are getting rid of is for donation, so all of these places will find them very useful.
DeleteI like it sometimes as I find stuff I had lost long ago
ReplyDeleteThat's always fun!
DeleteHaving just this past year finished decluttering hubby's parents' home of over 30,000 pounds of stuff, I do agree, it is so freeing and liberating! I'm with you, a minimalist, married though to a recovery packrat (he's trying, but still has a ways to go). I like decluttering, this last go around though was an effort because everything decluttered had to be approved of by hubby since it was his parents' things. If I had "free rein" we would have been done sooner than we were with it, but its done and that's the best thing :)
ReplyDeletebetty
We are kindred spirits, Betty :) I love being a minimalist. It's an amazing feeling cleaning up and clearing out!
DeleteThat comic is soooo funny! When I get hypomanic I'm sometimes get out of control with decluttering! I've ditched a few things I wish I hadn't but overall nothing earth shattering :) I'm glad that you are doing right with it and feeling liberated!
ReplyDeleteSometimes a little more than necessary gets removed but I've never truly had all that much regret because I'm kind of ruthless when it comes to decluttering! :)
DeleteYes, be gone, be gone. We have many hobbies though like my baking which I have lots of things for BUT, the only stuff that stays in my kitchen is stuff that I use. Each year when Tim's job has a fair, I go through and ditch anything that I don't use anymore or don't need.
ReplyDeleteAs for a house, man, do we want one. Seems so out of reach ...
I love this cleaning up. And there is so much more to go out. Out out out... And I have no guilt. None. I'm ruthless and happy about it!
DeleteNo guilt is good. I don't know why people feel guilty? Oh wait, is it like feel guitly for tossing something out that someone gave you kind of thing?
DeleteHeck, we don't even keep birthday cards that get sent here. There's just no room.
Yes, what is this guilt they speak of? Is it a foreign language? We are ruthless, Wonder Woman. Simply ruthless :)
DeleteI do! Love the look of a surface with nothing on it.
ReplyDeleteYes! The best :)
DeleteWe have decluttered so much in preparation for our move, yet we have so much more that I've packed because I'm unsure. Might do another declutter when I unpack at the other end and see how much space we have! This is the problem with staying one house so long, when I was single and moved once a year or so the junk didn't have so much time to build up - and it was just mine not four people's.
ReplyDeleteThe bigger the family, the more stuff that accumulates. But now it's only going to be two of us, so it's so much easier to dispose of things. My husband and I just need a small space to live, which we're both looking forward to. Less space, less work, more freedom!
DeleteI'm with you on decluttering. I would travel this life very light. The poor old Micro manager has to keep everything and couldn't stand it to through some of her treasures away.
ReplyDeleteIt happens that way sometimes. My husband used to keep a lot of things before he met me. At some point he realized how great it is to live light. And now that we're looking at houses to move to, every time we visit one, we say "We can go even smaller than this." And smaller will also mean less things to move!
DeleteI do enjoy decluttering but my husband is the opposite.
ReplyDeleteAs is the case with many couples. Sometimes one likes to get rid of things while the other likes to keep everything!
DeleteLast week after 3 years in this apt i finally unpacked and threw out most of everything including the boxes...ah sigh...I was hoping to find a house but the prices are way too high...
ReplyDeleteI bet you feel so much better, Lorraine. Too much stuff around is tiresome!
DeleteWe just moved and I know exactly how you feel! I love shedding stuff. My sister has just sold her massive old home that she has lived in for nearly 30 years. She has not had to ever declutter. It will be interesting...
ReplyDeleteWow, 30 years! No doubt there is an abundance of stuff to sort through.
DeleteJust 2 years ago we went to the declutting as we sold our big house and move to our 12 by 40 feet trailer... best thing ever!
ReplyDeleteI don't get attach to things so I'm so glad that there is less of the crap to take care of :)
That is a great decision! I love small spaces, especially at this point in my life. And like you, I don't get attached to stuff and have no problem ditching things taking up room and collecting dust!
Delete