Why does getting rid of stuff feel so good? Physical space and mental space go hand-in-hand. Clutter is visual noise and the mess creeps into our mental faculties as well. So holding on to things you never will use or need again just increases the noise. Letting things go clears the visual noise so you can see more important things.
Separating from the past can heal us. We hang onto so many things because of the memories tied to them. When we de-clutter, we have the opportunity to interact not only with our physical possessions, but with the memories and feelings they trigger.
The Power of Letting Go
Last night I was listening to music with some friends and a song that I LOVED 25 years ago came on … I remembered I had purchased the CD back in the 90s, and was sure it was on my iTunes like the rest of my music. Unfortunately, it wasn’t there – neither was the entire album. I guess I had never uploaded the CD.
About 5 years ago, I had finally decided to “let go” of all of my CDs. After years of moving them around, looking for the perfect container, alphabetizing and re-alphabetizing … I finally realized that I never used them or the 6-change CD player I had so proudly bought when I moved into my new house. So I donated them all. And it felt great. And I reclaimed a large amount of space both in my living room and in my storage.
So now I am reminded that I “let go” of something that I loved and wanted (the song). The good news is I can buy it on iTunes for $1.29. And I did. And it was okay. For $1.29 I reclaimed 5 years of space in my home and in the storage area of my basement. And yes, I did have to buy the song a second time … but it was worth it.
Holding on to what’s important
Making decisions makes us strong. When we make a decision about something, even something as small as whether to keep those curtain rods, we do gain some control, and the feeling is addicting and self-perpetuating.
You have less stuff to deal with. This is the most obvious reward of getting rid of stuff, and most definitely not the smallest.