Decluttering The Internal And External

I’ve got lot of things whirring round my head at the moment (nothing new there!).

Why is life so complicated? Do WE overcomplicate it? If so, how can we simplify it? One way I thought I could start simplifying was to declutter my home. This inspiring post from fellow blogger Suzie Speaks got me started on my own decluttering process.

The clear out

Over the weekend, hubby and I took a load of rubbish to the local recycling centre. We got rid of about 80 DVDs, sending them to one of those sites that buys them off you. They don’t pay much, but it’s better than nothing.

A decluttering discovery of unused chinese rice bowls!

I went through the kitchen cupboards last night. There were cookbooks we hadn’t used in years because if we want a recipe we look online. Hubby has a “man drawer” containing various odds and ends, so we went through that and he was really good at getting rid of stuff!

I’m now in the process of going through my clothes. I don’t have many – hubby has more than me – but there are still some that could do with disappearing!

Stepping back from consumerism

Now that I’ve started this, I’ve become a bit obsessed. I want all the unnecessary stuff out! It’s got me thinking more about consumerism and how I often buy things driven by emotions. I think I need to be more intentional with what I spend my money on.

Advertisers would have us believe that we “need” their latest products/services. Fair play I guess as that’s how they make their money, but so many of us, myself included, have been buying into that all too readily.

So often we fall into the trap of buying things because we think they’ll make us feel a certain way (e.g., sexy, confident, important). I’m not saying that feeling those things is bad, but the effect is often only temporary. To address what’s missing in our lives we need look inside ourselves rather than to material things. So, I’m going to be more mindful and take a step back before rushing into buying things that may only enrich my life for a short period of time.

The delight of decluttering

The process of decluttering has started to lift a weight off my shoulders. I’m feeling less of a need to have “things” and a desire to be content with what I have.

There’s definitely been a shift in my mindset. I feel much more relaxed and at peace with not having everything I want. Decluttering is helping me become more mindful. Weird how getting rid of stuff can do that to you!

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What about you? Could you do with decluttering, either literally or mentally?