Let's Live Lighter!
Things don't last forever, nor do we actually like the items we have forever. Looking deeper into living simply, I am seeing that it does take time to actually create the mental space to let go of things. Once again I am happily letting go, enjoying the space created once unnecessary possessions no longer consume it, and feeling freedom from not keeping things based on expectations.
For the past three days I've been spring cleaning. It started in the kitchen when I was going through all of the things that we don't use. During this entire process I would round up unused items and put them near the front door to be packed up to donate.
Living light is solely about only keeping that which we use daily, absolutely love, or truly contribute beauty to our surroundings.
Some things I felt I was suppose to have, yet really don't care for. That is exactly what I felt when looking at four serving dishes that were stored in a kitchen cabinet that haven't been used in a very long time. I decided to keep two of the more favorable serving dishes.
I also had done an experiment months back where I put dishes that we probably didn't need in a box to the side to see what life would be like without them. This is a wonderful exercise for any items in question. I had almost forgotten about the experiment until this spring cleaning session. We obviously didn't miss them, so they joined the pile at the front door.
The dialog of "daily use, absolutely love, and adding beauty" continued in my head as I went through the rest of the items in the kitchen wiping down cabinets and drawer linings. Once the kitchen was complete, I started looking through items in the bathroom closet to let go of worn out linens and towels. Sometimes things seriously need to be replaced, yet this time I would test what fewer number of pieces we could still feel comfortable with.
I question why having more is so valued, instilled, and marketed. It takes up so much time and energy to maintain and organize excess.
I've held myself accountable to release three items daily which is good for taking a slower approach to decluttering, but this time I felt inspired to declutter more at once. There really is no wrong way to do this. The rewards of living light are incredible as you open energetic space for the new to enter as you let go of what no longer serves your current lifestyle.
I've taken my time with this process of downsizing over the past few years as it really doesn't happen in one session. I've also learned a lot about myself along the way. What I feel comfortable with shifts and changes each time. One of my biggest lessons with decluttering has definitely been to keep a close eye on closets. It's great to keep all surfaces clear in your home and things looking organized and tidy, yet the truth of living light really is in the closets of your home.
How is the process of living light working for you?
Image by Dawn Michelle