Moving and Getting Rid of Junk

People have asked me if leaving my house has been hard.  No, the hard part is moving all the junk we accumulated.  I remember reading about simplifying and house I longed to do just that.  Well moving to a house that is 1000 sq. ft. smaller will make you do just that.

Some days I feel like I am living in a nightmare.  It has been so hard to move.  In my mind I thought it would not be that difficult.  I said, “in my mind”.  It has been really difficult.  I did not realize how much junk we have.  It is almost ridiculous how much junk we have.  Every closet was full.  My new garage is absolutely jam packed full of stuff that is not going in the new house.  I just do not want to take it in, but I am asking myself why I did not get rid of it before now.

What makes us want to keep things and some of it is not even nice things?  I wish I could answer that question for myself.  I look at something and ask myself, “why do I still have this?”  Many times I can not answer that question.  It is a mystery to me.  I know I have heard the answer, well you may use it in the future, but that is not even and good answer.  I have had somethings in closets for 16 years.  Yes 16 years and to some that may not seem like a long time.  I just think it is too long to store something I may use in the future.  So these are my new rules.

NEW RULES

1. If I am not presently using it, get rid of it.  Someone may need it more than I do.

You know we can do this.  Keeping something in a closet for a future purpose is not good.  Someone may really need it right now.  For example I have 4 sets of twin sheets.  I only have 2 twin beds.  I do not need all four sets.  My children do not live at home anymore and there is no one going to wet the bed.  How many vases do I need?                                                                                                                               2.  Do not look at things longingly.

People are worth looking at longingly not stuff.  I have to remind myself that people matter, stuff does not.  My grandchildren are important, but they do not need the latest, greatest stuff at grandma’s house.  They will play with anything I give them to play with really.

3.  Do I want my children to have to go through all of this junk later on.

Seriously, I am not going to live forever.  I know that is a revelation to some people but it is the reality.  My husbands parents dies 4 years apart from each other.  Both times we had to go through their stuff.  It was not fun and you know what I do not want to pass the holding on to stuff gene to my children either.  We all could benefit from holding on to things and learn to hold on to each other.  I want my children to remember me, not my junk.

I will be honest with you, moving has been a real struggle.  It has been much harder than I ever imagined.  I have cried many times.  I still can not believe I have accumulated all of this junk.  I have felt so ashamed at times.  Maybe you have experienced the same feelings, maybe not, but it has been an eye opener.  I want to simplify, I really, really do.  Maybe you think I am crazy, but I feel like all of this stuff has had a hold on me and I am ready to be set free.  I want to live life boundless.  I do not want to be tied to my house or my possessions.  I am not saying this is easy, I am just saying it is part of the new rules and new goals.  Honestly, Janet.