I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m neither minimalist nor aspire to be.
It amazes me how stuff can build up in a home. Life is busy, and it seems like such a luxury to consider the things we surround ourselves with. But in my efforts to live a life on purpose, my “footprint” is something I’m acutely aware of.
Spring has always been a time of renewal for me. Whether it’s a resolution that’s long forgotten, a healthy habit that was dropped almost immediately, or a general lack of oomph, spring has always arrived to breathe fresh energy into our lives.
Recently, I re-read Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Why did I pick it up five years after I first read it? Who’s to say? But it got me looking at my home in a new light (again). As I tuned into my surroundings, I noticed piles of random objects with no home. Or things that had yet to quite make it back to their home.
I quickly checked in with myself. I felt cramped, hemmed in, and stuck in a too-small box. Not just because it’s 110 degrees outside, and I’m indoors often these days. But also because the change in seasons has a natural way of inspiring change.
It’s always rejuvenating when change can be on our own terms. But even when we’re making change on purpose, there is struggle. I craved more space in my life, but items that no longer served me still tugged at my heart. Change, no matter who has imposed it, comes with its challenges.
So I’ve started out small. I’ve removed a few piles of clothing that no longer serve me. I’ve sold three pairs of new shoes that are cute but uncomfortable. And in the next few weeks, I’m sure I’ll be called to yet another area (or category) of the house that feels in need of tidying.
I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m neither minimalist nor aspire to be. But I am someone who feels more at ease in a calm and uncluttered space. Being empathic and highly sensitive, my environment significantly impacts my well-being and mental health. So I don’t see it as decluttering in the conventional sense. Like Marie, I see it as transformative.
Living a life on purpose often requires us to dig deep within ourselves. But sometimes (often), after we’ve dug into who we truly are on the inside, our outside world begs for change. We seek new ways to match our outer world with our inner world!
Decluttering our space is about more than having a clean and tidy home. It’s about making space to live a more harmonious life.
