Thought for today:
Getting rid of clutter is a side benefit of working the program of recovery and getting our lives in order again. We want to feel that our possessions are accessible, necessary, and bring us joy, not overwhelming, falling apart, or depressing.
A member shares:
“Clutter has been a part of my entire adult life. Ever since I got my first credit card, clutter came into the picture. It was like the two went hand in hand.”
7 Decluttering Ideas Around Asking “How Important Is It”
How can you decide whether to get rid of something or toss it? Consider these 7 ideas for evaluating “How important is it?”
- Break down the choice into smaller choices. Take one item at a time and consider its value, and don’t consider the pile. Your brain doesn’t multi-task these things, but it can gain speed as you master this technique.
- The word “value” can refer to financial value or emotional value, and you use different sides of your brain for each. Jumping back and forth in your head is mentally strenuous. Consider grouping emotional valuables together to review them in a batch later.
- If something is possibly of financial/material value to someone else, batch such donate-able items together so you can drive them off in one trip to Good Will or the local church. (Remember to get a receipt for tax deductions if it is a charitable organization!)
- Consider selling collectibles and higher end valuables. Take a photo and try posting them on eBay.
- Consider comparative value of the item vs the cash you could get for it. One friend has a room full of collectible Christmas ornaments in storage but can’t afford heat in the winter so she is always cold. The cash from selling the ornaments could keep her warmer but she says she doesn’t want to bother with it.
- If it’s reading material you’re holding on to (newspapers, books you never read, etc.), consider the value of reading them. What’s the benefit to you in terms of enjoyment, learning, reference. Remember the saying “Nothing is as stale as yesterday’s news”.
- Consider going digital. If you subscribe to newspapers these days you usually get an electronic archive of every article, so there is no need to keep the paper copy! Amazon has a program for borrowing Ebooks for a flat yearly fee.
Ask:
Am I willing to take one small step toward mastering my possessions?
Meditation for today:
With every material possession I release I get back spiritual, emotional, and financial rewards.
Affirmation for today:
“I enjoy creating space out of clutter, because space has its own beauty, and my material possessions are in the hands of those who will appreciate them more.”
“Today I know what is valuable to me, and what is not, and I have the power to discard what is not.”
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
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