I haven't mentioned decluttering lately...two reasons...(1) I haven't been decluttering myself (2) everyone I talk to is consumed with how busy they are trying to keep up with the pace of their lives.
Both reasons - sad commentaries. If life is a journey, we are driving down the road at such a fast speed we are not noticing all we are missing along the way. Once upon a time, people used to take long relaxing drives for the fun of it. No one has time, gas money or the inclination to deal with the highways and back-roads anymore. I miss leisurely drives.
So, Friends, let's pack an overnight bag and hit the road to ridding ourselves of the excess and clutter of our lives. Pack light...that's our motto! Live light...our goal.
So as not to be weighted down by a cumbersome stack of luggage (possessions) to drag around, we'll use our trip as an analogy for our decluttering.
The days of make-up cases are far behind us, let's leave it there.
I have decluttered my make-up and toiletries to the barest of necessities and love it! I was a 'keeper' of all things make-up no matter how little was left. If I could shake a can and hear anything, I kept it. If it required a Q-tip to dig out the last of the eye shadow, I kept it. No more, Friends! I threw away everything (most older than dirt anyway) but the 1 bottle of foundation I use, 1 tube of mascara, 1 make-up brush, 1 blusher, 1 eyeliner, 1 loose powder. 1 eye shadow (I rarely use anymore anyway, it's on the endangered list) and a small mirror. All these go into my make-up bag, where they live, no longer taking space in drawers and/or counters and ready to hop into an overnight bag when I leave town. I LOVE IT! Same for mousse, hairspray, etc. I have 1 of anything I consider a necessity and if I don't use it regularly, it must not be a necessity.
Start with a clean slate.
Travelers start with an empty suitcase, and select each item that goes into it. Take a similar approach when decluttering: empty the entire contents of the drawer, closet, or room you’re working on. Then carefully consider each item, and decide whether to return it to the space. Choose what to keep, rather than what to toss. Here's my confession...I tried this with the first of my many junk drawers in the kitchen. Emptying out the drawer onto the island was ok, sorting and inventorying all that cr..er, stuff was ok. Deciding what to keep was ok but allowing myself to throw away all the other stuff...EKK! I left it on the island for days because I got crazy & could not make my arm wipe it off into the trash can! There, I've said it! My confession!
Here's a partial inventory list: 5 allen wrenches (really?), 2 compasses kids use in math, 1 protractor, a cup full of misc bolts and screws, a baggie full of batteries (alive or dead, I don't know), several eyeglass cleaner wipes, candles of various size, 1 pair of adult & 3 kid size scissors, 2 screwdrivers, packets of peppers from Pizza Hut, it goes on and on....you get the picture! Once I did push all that cr..er, stuff into the trash, I felt SOOO much better! This brings us to the next point I want to make.
Question every item. In a small carry-on, every item must pull its weight. Demand the same of your household possessions: have a conversation with your stuff, and ask what value it adds to your life. If the answer is “not much,” get it out of the house. I know, I know, easier said than done but worth it when it's over.
Live on the edge. The light traveler addresses her needs as they arise; if she runs out of deordorant in Spain, she simply buys some more. Adopt a similar philosophy at home: instead of stockpiling stuff or holding on to “just in cases,” acquire things on an as-needed basis. This is how I now approach my make-up, toiletries, pantry staples, linens, most everything. An extra set of sheets is fine, but when it takes a closet or chest to contain them, chances are you've got too many. I realized we have 5 comforters, 1 bedspread, 2 quilts and 1 duvet cover...we only have 2 beds. I had several sets of twin size girly sheets and no twin size bed or girls, I gave those away to someone that could use them...the sheets, not the girl. Same with full size linens. Do we REALLY need 6 packs of toilet paper? Would that fit into a sleeper car on a train trip on the Orient Express across Europe? Pack light, live light!
Think versatility. To save space, light packers favor items that do double- or triple-duty (like clothes that can be dressed up or down, and layered for different climates). Use the same principle in your home: choose versatile or multi-functional items (like a sleeper sofa, or all-purpose saute pan) over single-task ones. Reducing my knife stash has worked beautifully! I now have 2 multi-purpose knives, including the ceramic one I tried to declutter my thumb with, and 6 steak knives.
I had a revelation a while back. I kept all that extra stuff thinking we'd need it when we had guest, family celebrations, etc. Well, fact of the matter is, our homes should be geared for how we live today, not how we would live if someone graced us with their company. If we added up the number of days we actually had guest in our homes, subtracted it from 365 X # years we've held on to the extra stuff, we would be amazed at how much time and space we allot to things we rarely use. Sure, it may be handy on those few days but it adds little-no value to our day-to-day life. We surround ourselves with stuff we rarely see or need and pay to store it in environmentally controlled homes. It's a lie you know, the saying "the one that dies with the most toys wins." I'd rather die on the road of life with my small overnight bag than be buried by mountains of stuff that have little meaning to me anymore. I want to live life, not dust it.
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