i have too much stuff; too much stuff to the point my life is cluttered, hard to keep organized, and frustrating when i can't find that one thing among the sheer volume of stuff. and so, i've been mentally changing gears since 2008 to let go and simplify my life. lifestyle changes that have been moving at a snail's pace, most of which has been a mental and emotional battle because of the sentimental value i placed in things that clutter rather than enhance my life. but i praise God for working with me through this aspect of my life because now that i can wholeheartedly let go of things that i don't use and holding onto for those "just in case" scenarios, i feel as though i've been set free from the chains of american consumerism and the mentality that more is better. it's an amazing feeling to have a burden lifted off and to move in the direction where i don't have to worry about what i should wear that day because what i own is what i like to wear.
since the beginning of this school year, i have been able to let go of:
- one bag's worth of books i don't read (sold to used book store for $4 credit and bought 3 books, two of which completed 2 different series already on my bookshelves!)
- 3 trashbags' worth of clothing i don't wear/haven't worn in 2+ years/won't wear
- the need to buy things on clearance/sale because it's such a good buy even though it's not a perfect fit
about 1-2 times a month, i would spend a whole saturday organizing some part of my house (closet, bookshelves, study, closet again, kitchen, etc) where there is one pile of things i can let go of. now, you may ask me, an entire saturday? yes. an entire saturday. an inefficient process but one that gets easier the more i do it. and it's more fun now because i'm ponder what i want to highlight in that space and showcase aspects of my personality or of my family. yesterday was one of those days for my closet and today is the first time i can see a noticeable difference; my clothes aren't crammed together and there is space. i like it.
i still need to cut down on my dresses and summer clothing but that can wait for another saturday when the weather gets warmer. i also haven't quite let go of going shopping yet. i like to check out the latest trends and see if there is a good buy, but i am proud to say that i haven't been bringing home a new addition to my wardrobe everything i go and the time i spent in any store has cut down considerably looking at things that i don't need and end up not buying. i would say that i've come a long way from my shopaholic days,wouldn't you?
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