Wednesday, January 15, 2014

De-cluttering

As I've been working on this whole grumpy thing, I have also evaluated WHAT sparks such 'episodes'.

I.  Have.  Learned.  A lot.

I've also been reminded of things I already knew, but, forgot.   (Maybe just pushed back to the recesses of my mind, would be more accurate.)

A friend recently started a 'challenge' on facebook to de-clutter 600 items from your home in the next year.

Hmmmm.... Intriguing..... as I KNEW clutter and messes CAUSED. ME. STRESS. and hence g-r-u-m-p-i-n-e-s-s!!!

I signed up.

Over the years I have become much tidier and less of a clutter-bug, but I still like variety; I like to give gifts to our children and Techno; I 'pick up' things or keep things I MIGHT use or need for a project, for decorations, for crafts.  Hence, my desire to be 'minimalistic' continues to elude me.

Hence, clutter. still. exists. in. my. world.

The first weekend of the challenge I began with a vengeance clearing out items that didn't fit, were not in great shape, were duplicates, or we simply didn't use/need anymore.  I hit 115 items in under 2 weeks.

It felt good to de-clutter.

It was freeing!

Emotionally.....

Mentally.....

Physically!

As I added things to the give away pile and put things in the trash, I saw improvements in how the house looked, felt.

I noted how much less stressed - LESS GRUMPY - I was when I went into rooms where things were in their place and HAD a place.  All because space was freed up by other things being released for someone else's use - someone else's house.

(The fact we had this much to get rid of was amazing given the fact we moved just over a year ago and gave away or sold - literally - over half of our belonging. Sigh!)

Yet, it felt good to de-grumpify as I de-cluttered.

How's your clutter?  Does it cause you stress?  Maybe you should join the 600 item challenge and free yourself from your stuff.

I have even considered bumping my total to 1000 items over the course of the year.  I'm hovering at around 115 thus far.  Time to dig in and get serious and move. things. out!

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