Letting Go

Letting go can be hard. Including that two of my kids are back at college and the youngest, who is in HS, is never home and when he is he does not want to sit with me to catch-up on my day or watch the shows I have on the DVR.

A new year is symbolized by an "out with the old and in with the new" attitude. Lots of cleaning out of things: closets, drawers, bins, garage, basement. Someday I'll need it. Someday I'll wear it again. It might come back in style. We all know that never happens. They say the 80's fashions are coming back. But, why?

I must confess. I am not a keeper of things, and to a fault. I occasionally wish I hadn't thrown it away, but I get over it. Oh, and I am organized. Don't hate me.

In real estate it is called decluttering and you are usually in a time crunch and life is overwhelming at the moment. Emotions are high. So much is changing. All of your crazy emotions are mixed up with the rational ability to think rationally. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Get a dumpster!

Or, get a Bagster: Dumpster in a Bag for smaller jobs. There are times when these options take away all of the "How do I get rid of all this stuff?" conundrum. Sure there are things worthy of selling or donating or putting in the recycling bin, but let's face it, most of it is trash.

Whether you are staying or going the process is similar. Make four piles - Keep, Sell, Donate, Trash, and before it goes in the Keep pile ask yourself if you are willing to pay a moving company to move it. That will make you think twice.

I've moved three times in my adult life. There are four boxes in my basement that I have not opened or missed in 12 years. They are out right now in this week's trash. I never even opened them. Yes, I put town trash stickers on each box. Add that I am a rule follower to the list.

There is a great book out there called, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. New York Times best-selling guide to decluttering your home from Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary KonMari Method for simplifying, organizing, and storing."

I know people who know people and they say this book has done wonders for them. I am just sharing the positive vibes coming from them. No time to read all 224 pages? More good vibes. There is an abridged version with only 32 pages, Summary: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, by In A Nutshell Publishing.

Keep letting go. I know. It's hard.