Spring Cleaning

It’s amazing the things we find in our very own homes when we finally take the time to do our big overhaul spring cleaning.  Clothes that you forgot you put in storage for the next warm season and items that just kept getting moved around until they found a home somewhere in hiding. You’ll hear through the house, “I was looking for these” or “Is this yours? I didn’t know we had this!” lol.

For a while when I would find something that had gone to storage or hidden somewhere only to be found when everything gets pulled out from under the bed or I actually look in my attic/basement, I would recirculate the item, depending on what it was. But we only have so much room in our homes and closets for items so why do we hold on to things we forgot we even had?

Once I came to the realization that if I didn’t miss it while it was missing then why do I need it? I decided that I didn’t and when it comes to cleaning days I have a box and a garbage bag at the ready for my newly found un-missed items to be donated to people who would actually use these items.

It is so easy to get attached to items, because we bought them for a reason or for the fact that they were a gift. But how long should we keep things, how long are we obligated to hold onto gifts?

I realized after helping my Nana move into a smaller apartment and watching her go through all of her items and struggle to get rid of even a piece of plastic fruit, that we are all way too attached to our things. Should we be so dependent on things to bring us happiness or should that be left to the loved ones in our lives?

My sister gave my nana a simple rule, if you want to buy something new then be prepared to get rid of something to make space for it. I really like that rule and have started adapting it for my life as well. I have a small house that is easily cluttered, so minimalizing all our things and leaving more room for people and memories is a much better deal for me.

If we all donated our un-missed items instead of storing them away because we like them or someone gave them to us forever ago, there would be a lot of happy people out there who really need the items more than we do. If you haven’t worn that sweater in over a year chances are you’re not going to anytime soon and those pants don’t fit anymore so stop torturing yourself and give them to someone who will appreciate them

Dee-clutter your life and at the same time give a gift of warmth to someone else in need. Pass on the memories and let that unmissed item get used somewhere else. Make more room in your life and home for the things that you really do need and you’ll be much happier in the end.

Lotsa Love,
Natasha