I took two suitcases, two carry-ons, and Xola and his crate with me to Lisbon. The day before I left, I had every last detail of my move prepared, scheduled, and organized. There was so much happening right before I left, and I honestly don't know how I could have done it had I not decluttered my life beforehand.
The last day before I left, I arranged to meet the buyer for my car near Baltimore, Maryland, and I brought two boxes to be shipped. The buyer agreed to drop me off at the post office near the train station, and I would take the train back to DC. One of the boxes contained the last remaining things that I didn't sell, didn't want to sell, electronics and keepsakes. The other contained shoes. I calculated the estimated costs on the United States Postal Service website and was satisfied. This all changed when I arrived at the Post Office. When I arrived at the counter, I was told that it would cost $2000 USD to have two moderately sized boxes in Lisbon. I had to make a decision. My shoes had to go....and they didn't cost that much to ship. I opened the remaining box, took the most essential items I could pick out that would fit in my suitcase, and left the rest to the ladies at the counter. I was disappointed, exhausted, and frustrated but confident about my new life, and I already let go of so much in my life at that point that I couldn't even grieve or think about what I paid for the items. I just had to let them go.
Let's get clear about what decluttering is. Decluttering, no matter how it shows up, means simplifying and prioritizing with a focus on intentionality. In my professional organizing work, I would prepare clients for the decluttering part right up front because removing unwanted stuff in their attic will feel great. Still, there are always items that are uncovered that will be challenging. The decluttering process is the most time and labor-intensive, sometimes emotionally charged, and delicate process of organizing. It is one of the reasons why I had to update my title to Life Organizer.
Processing change from a decluttering standpoint for your life is a very intricate process. I remember a client who was so sure of how she wanted her bedroom organized and had grand goals for different organizing ideas and furniture that she could use, but her bedroom was packed to the max, and she did not want to get rid of anything. Most of her bedrooms had unopened items or things that didn't align with who she was- her decor was not cohesive and didn't show her vibrant energy or who she presented as. She admitted that everything in her bedroom meant something because she struggled to obtain everything there. When this happens, I try to be as emotionally neutral when explaining to clients that if they have a vision for their space, they have to be realistic about the things that must go and will prevent them from achieving what they want. After accepting this realization, she revealed she was in the middle of a life change and needed to declutter much more besides the items in her room. It prompted me to think about organizing differently, as the condition of your physical environment almost always indicates your internal environment.
What are your thoughts on decluttering? Take a moment to breathe before you take the following steps. Look around your personal spaces, walking room to room. Does your environment match how you feel? Does your decor reflect who you are? Are there things you have around the house that, if you sat with for a while, you would determine that the item is no longer needed? Are you making a transition in your life, and does your wardrobe not reflect who you are now? Leave me a comment and tell me how this went for you!
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