"It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change."-- Charles Darwin
People have all sorts of emotional reasons for not letting go of clutter that they no longer use, need, or find beautiful. I think at the heart of this is resistance to change.
Bookshelf Toy Storage
Whatever our reason is for resisting change, the sooner we can come to embrace change, the more simplified our lives will be, because the bottom line is: everything is constantly changing, and we have no control over it. We cannot hold on to people, places or things.
If we kept every paper, book, magazine, knick-knack, toy, or other item we love that comes into our home, we, and our home, would suffer. If we don't periodically clear out old and unused items, our home becomes heavy, dusty (at least metaphorically), and permeated with the past. We need to keep our homes fresh and in the present. I don't mean following the latest decorating trends necessarily. I mean clearing out unused or broken things from the past to allow your home to reflect who you are now.
Recently my husband and I bought a new bookcase that was soon to be delivered. The bookcase was going to be put in the front hall, where there was presently an antique table that I had always liked. The problem was, there was just no place to put the table once the bookcase arrived.
So after offering it to my sons, who declined my offer, I sold the table. At first this seemed a callous thing for me to do, because I remember when I bought the table, at a happy time of my life when I lived in a large 200- year old house with my first husband and two boys.
In order to let the table go, I had the following conversation between my "hold on to the past" self and my "face the present" self:
Face the present: "I have no room for that table now."
Hold on: "But I wish I could keep it. It reminds me of that old colonial house where I lived like Ozzie and Harriet with my first husband and kids."
Face the present: "You are living in a smaller space now with your second husband, very happily, and you have no room for that table."
Hold on: "Maybe I can find some place to put the table. It's so charming..."
Face the present: "You already tried that. There's no place. If you put it in the basement, it will mildew. If you store it in a storage unit, no one will enjoy it, and it will just sit in the dark. Your kids said they do not want it. Say good-bye to it, sell it, and wish it happiness in it's new home."
Hold on: "But...."
Face the Present: "Go ahead, call some dealers and choose someone. You'll have some extra money, and someone else will love the table as much as you did. It's ready for another life."
This conversation forced me to live in the present, not in the past. As much as I loved that table, it was indeed not needed now, and the time had come for its new life. I tell my clients if they are really attached to something they need to let go of, take a picture of it, say good-bye to the clutter and wish it well.
I didn't take a picture of that table, but I'll always remember it fondly. Perhaps it's in someone's large, 200-year-old house somewhere now, cherished by its new owners.
Meanwhile, I love my new bookcase, which looks terrific in the hall, and allows me more space to organize my stuff.
copyright © by Patsy Murray and SimpleLife Organizers
Cyber Monday Sourcing Solutions 9 Cubby Storage, No Tools Required 2011 Deals
Nov 30, 2011 10:20:39
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Cyber Monday Sourcing Solutions 9 Cubby Storage, No Tools Required Feature
- Cabinet assembly requires no tools or hardware
- Made of painted white wood composite for sturdiness
- Nine spacious cubby areas Can be Used to store books, toys, supplies and more
- Sourcing Solutions' 2PC Folding Storage Bins (sold separately) fit perfectly in the cubby spaces; customize by mixing and matching the storage Bins' eight colors: red, blue, green, orange, lavender, pink, spring green, and light blue
- Assembled size: 35.43-inch L by 11.81-inch D by 35.43-inch H
Cyber Monday Sourcing Solutions 9 Cubby Storage, No Tools Required Overview
Sourcing Solutions' 9 Cubby Storage - No Tools Required Unit provides convenient storage for the kids' room, family room or play room. Cabinet assembly requires no tools or hardware! Unit is made of painted white wood composite for sturdiness. Nine spacious cubby areas can be used to store books, toys, supplies and more. Sourcing Solutions' 2PC Folding Storage Bins (sold separately) fit perfectly in the cubby spaces; customize by mixing and matching the storage bins' eight colors: red, blue, green, orange, lavender, pink, spring green, and light blue. Assembled size: 35.43-inch L by 11.81-inch D by 35.43-inch H.SAVE NOW on Cyber Monday offers below!
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