It was a success - not just in getting rid of at least 500 things, but in getting me freer about letting go of even more stuff. I now know I want less.
Well, that's all well and good to say, but culling through a lifetime of stuff isn't exactly easy. And unless a person is willing to be ruthless, I'm presently of the opinion that it's best to be a tad measured and methodical about it. It took us 39+ years to accumulate all our stuff. So what if it takes three or four, or more years to clear our home and lives of so much of it? Don't tell hubs I said that. Hopefully he's not reading this.
Here's the thing (and it's a big thing), one of our goals is to move into a one-story home - hopefully sooner rather than later. We're fine with waiting until the right home presents itself, but in the meantime we're trying to be focused on getting this house ready to put on the market. That means painting and recarpeting where needed, but cosmetically, that's about it. Our kitchen needs a serious overhaul, but we ain't doin' it. 'nuff said on that. The main thing we truly need to do to be ready to move is to get rid of stuff. Not only to make this home look better to potential buyers, but so that we can fit what we're keeping inside that (probably smaller) next home we hope to move into.
Sure, it would be great if we didn't have to downsize our square footage, but that probably isn't realistic considering a one story home of the square footage we're accustomed to would have a significantly larger footprint on the landscape than our present tri-level home does. And truthfully... while two full baths and two half baths were great while raising three boys, I'm ready to move into something that doesn't need as much upkeep. So... as we think about the future, stuff just needs to go. And you know what? Even if we didn't need to downsize, I now know I want less stuff. But I said that already, didn't I?
Here's the rub... I'm very much a process person. I'm all about process. In just about every area in my life. I want to know how things work, why they work, how someone thought of a thing in the first place. I want to know why people do the things they do. Even if understanding these things is beyond me, I'm curious enough to slow down and ponder something for a bit. So, you can imagine, as I sort through things, I want to recall memories, I want to consider why I kept a thing in the first place. And inevitably, I get distracted.
Hubs, on the other hand, isn't what I'd call a process person. About much, anyway... And, as you can possibly imagine, being on opposite ends of the process/product continuum, can cause a lot of conflict. In retirement, there seems to be a little more patience on both our parts toward the other, but our general personalities haven't (and won't) change.
That said, the 30-Day Minimalism Game actually helped me in my processing. It didn't change me into being less about the process, but it helped me get through some of my processing more quickly. It made me more efficient. And I experienced the euphoria of letting go and getting free. I like to think I got some clarity that will carry me forward.
I'm hoping to move forward here - writing and sharing about downsizing, minimalizing, getting clarity about stuff, getting clarity about letting go of stuff. I'm not sure what that will look like. I don't know if I'll post once a week, or once a month about it, but I do know I want to share what I'm learning and experiencing. So stay tuned! 😉
Sunday posts (for the time being, at least) will continue to be Year of Project posts - where I share what I'm creating and anything related to that part of my life. And scattered throughout a month I may randomly write posts about the process (and, hopefully, results) of downsizing. Or I may find a rhythm to regularly sharing about it. We'll see.
Either way, I plan to share what I come across that is helpful to me in downsizing and minimalizing this year. Tips and inspiration for working through getting rid of stuff, and figuring out what motivates me. I expect to link to others' blog posts, books, articles - anything that helps me and inspires me. I already know of one person who's using January to downsize. 😃 I'll link to her blog tomorrow and I look forward to finding inspiration from her in the next month.
If you're downsizing or decluttering too, it would be great to hear from you. If you're a blogger and downsizing, I'd very much like to follow your journey.
Come join me, or just follow along. I'll take the company and encouragement any way it comes!
You're already with me on my downsizing process. My failing is to want to do everything NOW. Far beyond my physical ability.
ReplyDeleteActually moving on is something I'm good at. I've overhauled my life a number of times. But the physical effort bites now!
Yes, as we're getting older it's getting harder to do all this downsizing. We should have started in our 40's!
DeleteGood choice on not updating your kitchen. I was of the mind to downsize UNTIL we remodeled our kitchen. Now I have the kitchen of my dreams and do not want to move. However, we still need to declutter. We did ship our 17 storage boxes of Christmas this month. There are 2 rooms that will be attacked next month and then we will see what happens after that. I love reading about your decluttering and the emotions you go through. Makes me feel not so alone. Happy new year to you and yours.
ReplyDeleteMy fear is we'll end up staying here and still not update our kitchen. That would make me very sad... I appreciate that you like me sharing the emotional part of decluttering. I think this is what's most helpful in reading other's experiences. It makes me realize this is all pretty normal (for those of us who live in such wealthy society, anyway). And when I see someone else having success, it means I can have success too!
DeleteBecki,
ReplyDeleteI smiled as I read your post because we "downsized" to a one story (smaller) house this summer. Unlike you though, I did NOT complete a 30 day minimalism game before the move and we only had 25 years worth of belongings. My husband and I are both process people so getting rid of the {fill in the blank} that the kids made in pre-school or a knickknack from a Grandmother who is no longer with us has been difficult. My biggest hurdle is going through old paperwork. I can spend hours sorting into shred, toss and keep piles only to look at my progress and be disheartened when it doesn't look like I DID anything at all. I am going to follow your posts to see how you do and will watch the 30-Day Challenge video to see if I can be inspired to get more done in the next month. We lost about 400 square feet of space with the move but I am excited to live here and be retired living with less "stuff". Thank you.
Getting rid of the ephemera that raising children produces is the hardest, I think. Items that have no obvious value except to a parent or other loved one, and without lovingly preserving them, they really would just eventually amount to nothing. But instead become treasures of the heart. I have probably annoyed my sons to no end repeatedly asking them if they're sure they don't want something they created once upon a time. Hmmm... I may have just thought of some content for another post!
DeleteGood luck on clearing out. I am with you that it is a bit more a process. I am still working on it, but each year I get rid of more and I have bought lots less and I really am now at the "let's get to the sentimental stuff." It is getting real hard now:)
ReplyDeleteI have found the getting rid of to happen best in layers for me. There are emotional layers that just aren't obvious to anyone else but me regarding the items I've done this with. Somehow.. removing each layer, the emotional layers that are left exposed are more easily dealt with when it comes time to take another pass through.
DeleteHappy New Year Becki! :) I think you did wonderfully with your minimalism challenge. Alex and I will be facing downsizing in the next 6 months when we move to a smaller house. I find it freeing to declutter, he's more attached to things. But we have already started slowly and will continue in baby steps! :)
ReplyDeleteI suspect that people who attach easily to things also experience freedom when they let things go. It's such an act of trust sometimes, but I have not been (too) disappointed yet. ;^) Being real. When I saw what appeared to be a paper mache snowman on your blog recently, I had a twinge of regret that I chuckled as youngest son took the one he'd made as a child and smashed it like a pinata at Thanksgiving. And then I got over it. I remind myself... Things aren't precious. Only the hands that made them are. Hey, maybe I'll use that in a post sometime. :)
DeleteOh my gosh...I don't think those paper mache snowpeople are coming with us on the move...maybe I should do the same as your son lol! I used to watch a show on TLC called Clean Sweep, so many years ago, but it was great to watch because they really focused on the memories rather than the actual object!
DeleteIt's always interesting to read your thoughts on this process Becki - you always give me something to ponder. As I read this I was thinking about how easy it is for me to get rid of things that don't have sentimental value, but there's a lot that I've kept that only has meaning to me and will never be of the least interest to my family.
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