When I started this theme of cleaning out the old a month ago, I had no idea I was going to touch such a collective nerve with either the topic or with my writings on it. I usually offer people a chance to read my writing – this year, through one small Facebook post, 42 of my friends signed up, immediately. That’s the largest group of dedicated readers I’ve ever had and almost double the number of people that signed on the last time I did a series that I intended for public consumption. I’ve been touched by the number of comments people have sent me or posted on my website. It will be fun to see that grow over time.
If I had any closing advice to offer, it would be “keep at it.” Do a little at a time. Set reasonable expectations. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Remember, you’re doing this for yourself and (as long as you’re not moving house) there’s no rush, as there often is when you’re death cleaning for someone else. When the emotions come up, let them. Even if that’s all you do for the rest of the day, have a good cry. Don’t forget to reward yourself for your hard work, whatever that reward looks like for you.
Just Saturday my friend Janet had a yard sale and offered me a spot in her driveway. I threw together a box of the pottery from my kitchen cabinets I’d been keeping to sell, because it was too nice to donate, plus a box of stuff I did plan to donate - grocery store flower vases, some old placemats I just replaced, a hideous stuffed chicken Dave bought at a fund raising auction. Dave threw in an ancient pair of loppers he’d replaced that he hated to put in the trash.
Because I had time, there was no rush, it was a beautiful spring day and because I got to hang out with two good friends, it was an absolutely lovely day to make $55. The pottery went in the first 30 minutes to people who knew what they were buying. The loppers went to a desperately unhappy woman who really needed them for $1. In the last 15 minutes, two carloads of recent refugees pulled up and we offered them whatever they wanted, for free. That’s what I call a rewarding day. Anything that was left went to charity or recycling the next morning.
I can’t tell you the “right" way to clean out. It’s whatever works for you, provided you do it. I will, however, leave you with this handy decluttering list that popped up on my social media the other day. The very last idea on the page is probably the most important thing to remember. Decluttering doesn’t have to be perfect. I would reiterate, it doesn’t have to be done at one sitting, and, most of all, just keep at it – at whatever speed works for you.
One box, one drawer, one cabinet at a time.
Please keep sharing your stories with me - I love hearing that we're all in this together!
If I had any closing advice to offer, it would be “keep at it.” Do a little at a time. Set reasonable expectations. Don’t overwhelm yourself. Remember, you’re doing this for yourself and (as long as you’re not moving house) there’s no rush, as there often is when you’re death cleaning for someone else. When the emotions come up, let them. Even if that’s all you do for the rest of the day, have a good cry. Don’t forget to reward yourself for your hard work, whatever that reward looks like for you.
Just Saturday my friend Janet had a yard sale and offered me a spot in her driveway. I threw together a box of the pottery from my kitchen cabinets I’d been keeping to sell, because it was too nice to donate, plus a box of stuff I did plan to donate - grocery store flower vases, some old placemats I just replaced, a hideous stuffed chicken Dave bought at a fund raising auction. Dave threw in an ancient pair of loppers he’d replaced that he hated to put in the trash.
Because I had time, there was no rush, it was a beautiful spring day and because I got to hang out with two good friends, it was an absolutely lovely day to make $55. The pottery went in the first 30 minutes to people who knew what they were buying. The loppers went to a desperately unhappy woman who really needed them for $1. In the last 15 minutes, two carloads of recent refugees pulled up and we offered them whatever they wanted, for free. That’s what I call a rewarding day. Anything that was left went to charity or recycling the next morning.
I can’t tell you the “right" way to clean out. It’s whatever works for you, provided you do it. I will, however, leave you with this handy decluttering list that popped up on my social media the other day. The very last idea on the page is probably the most important thing to remember. Decluttering doesn’t have to be perfect. I would reiterate, it doesn’t have to be done at one sitting, and, most of all, just keep at it – at whatever speed works for you.
One box, one drawer, one cabinet at a time.
Please keep sharing your stories with me - I love hearing that we're all in this together!
RSS Feed