Last weekend, I sold a few things on Craigslist. I had remodeled a bit and wanted to get rid of some old (to me) but (still) lovely pieces of furniture which were in great condition but had served their purpose for me. It was actually a beautiful experience – a young girl in her mid-20s, who had recently moved to San Francisco, came and was super excited for her new (my old) furnishings. It actually made me even more excited to get rid of stuff, knowing it had a great new home. Which leads me to the probing question/thought for the week: What can you release and let go of and potentially be of to benefit someone else?
We often hold on to “things” (and “things” could mean friendships, relationships, jobs, stuff, clothes) for far too long, and rarely realize how much the holding on actually holds us back. Even the little trinkets stored in our garage or, worse, storage units, can have an underlying effect on our psyche and our ability to move forward. A shocking percentage of Americans pay for storage units that hold onto stuff that they barely use or even remember. The act of letting go and freeing yourself of excess is probably one of the most liberating and undervalued of all everyday experiences.
Often, we talk about goals and achievement objectives, and we don’t realize there is stuff (physical or metaphysical) that needs to be released in order to get there. I mention this as we start the year because it is a great time for students and parents to think of what they want to release in 2015. I love the term “release” because it signifies a letting go that is gentle and thoughtful rather than forced, rushed or painful.
Marie Kondo’s book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” (Ten Speed Press, 2014) was featured recently in this Slate article, which reveals how “Kondo favors a radical approach to decluttering that advocates downsizing your stuff in one fell swoop; insists that storage containers promote hoarding, not organization; and takes an emotional approach to helping people discard excess possessions.”
Last year, I wrote about my work with Cary and Kyle at New Minimalism, and how they helped me get rid of so much in so little time. My space has never been particularly cluttered, but after so many years living in one space, things accumulate. Kyle and Cary are an amazing team, and their work is extraordinary and changing lives. Not only do they help people downsize, but they also work to redesign the stuff you have so it is more functional, welcoming and home-y. After many years in the same apartment, I feel like I now have a brand-new place, and that new beginning has affected every area of my life for the better.
I encourage you and your children this year to think of what you want to release and let go of – are there certain expectations (of you or others) that are not serving you? What stuff do you want to get rid of physically and metaphysically? I like to ask the question, “How well is that working for you?” If it is, great. If it isn’t, well, think about what might be different or what you have the power to change. Because 2015 is going to be a great time for letting a whole lot of new in, as long as you can let go and make room by letting the old out.
