In the middle of 2017, we downsized our home with a big move. Up until the move, we had decluttered what I thought was close to 50 percent of everything we owned.
At least that was my goal: to get rid of 50 percent of everything.
And we needed to simplify our home because we had a lot of stuff! I naturally collect things, store things, memorialize things. Add that to a blended family with my husband’s house full of belongings, and we had way.too.much.stuff!
During the decluttering phase, I actually counted 24 blankets. So 12 blankets went straight to the donation box. Goodbye half of our board games. Goodbye half of our Christmas decorations. Goodbye books galore. Goodbye much, much more!
I was actually pretty proud of myself…until the “shaming mover” arrived at our house on moving day. He continued to make snarky comments about how I needed to have a garage sale and I had too much stuff. Moving day is stressful as is but I found myself several times hiding in my closet–the “protected space” that the movers had designated as a space they wouldn’t touch.
I prayed to God and texted friends: “Am I a hoarder?”
This guy definitely thought I was.
Even with all our calculating, there were things that couldn’t fit on the U-Haul trucks. Some of this extra stuff was easy to let go. But the gorgeous wooden tabletop that my first husband had made with his father is the one thing that broke my heart to leave. I asked each child and my mother-in-law if they wanted it. Nope. And I realized that I was holding onto things with precious memories that no one else wanted.
Why was I holding on? I said goodbye to it.
Of course, we went the economy route for our move and ended up driving a caravan of cars and U-Haul trucks 100 miles. When we started unpacking the trucks at the new house, we discovered that the movers hadn’t utilized the space efficiently and we could’ve packed a lot more on. I could’ve kept the tabletop!
However, being forced to make the hard decision of letting go of something I’d held onto for the sake of others gave me the gift of letting go of more. I donated my first wedding dress–rather than keep it hermetically sealed in its container–for who? My daughter was already married and didn’t wear the dress. I imagined someone being blessed by wearing this dress at her wedding. I donated gifts that had been given to me that I no longer used. I donated silver items and imagined someone being so excited to find them at Goodwill.
I finally gave away boxes and boxes of scrapbooking materials that I would never use to a sweet niece who loves them. I had actually offered and then reconsidered several times. This move helped me finally make the cut.
I had a dozen houseplants; I now have four. I finally got the courage to let go of a plant that we’d received at my first husband’s funeral. It was scraggly and shed leaves constantly. I had cared for this lopsided plant, knowing it needed to go, until this move when I mustered more courage to let go of things I couldn’t afford to hang onto anymore.
It’s not really that they were costing me financially, but they were costing me a sense of order, lightness, and peace. With every trip to Goodwill, I noticed a lightness of spirit. I relish that I’m blessing someone and in a sense cleansing my home.
I’m pursuing a much simpler home. And it feels really good!
Another benefit is that letting go has made me stop and think twice before buying more “stuff.” Do I really need it? Will I be donating it soon?
I’m grateful for this letting go process to determine what I really value and what I really need. I may not be completely at a 50% downsize but I’m very close.
Getting rid of the excess feels so good! Who knows, I may even up it to 60% this year!
