Mar
04
What is Clutter?
By
Julie Morgenstern, author of SHED, defines clutter as, "any obsolete object, space, commitment or behavior that weighs you down, distracts you or depletes your energy."
Do you have any clutter?
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I have a lot of clutter. My two main sources of clutter are dirty laundry and piles of paper everywhere. I have so much paper on my desk that it is literally spilling off.
If I just had a laundry schedule it would eliminate the dirty laundry clutter. If I just dealt with the paper once it comes in the door that would solve the paper dilemma.
You can do it Raelene!
Julie Morgenstern defines clutter as, “any obsolete object, space, commitment or behavior that weighs you down, distracts you or depletes your energy.”
Almost 3 years ago my mother who was abusive passed away. I knew within days that the focus of my life would be to redefine who I really am, not the person she believed me to be, the person who had little value to her. I was still tense waiting for the next critical or malicious comment. It’s taking years to feel less anxiety but I’m getting there.
I also a push from within me, which I have always known is the Holy Spirit, to clean out, clear up and free myself of the things that weren’t working in my life.
So this is the clutter I’ve been dealing with an how I’m doing.
~I had a role in my family as the scape goat and the care taker. Basically I was a control freak. My mother was a control freak too. After she died I started pulling away from my sister who wanted me to make decisions for her. I quit doing it. I let go of any responsibility for her life. It wasn’t easy and it wasn’t smooth but it’s finished now and I feel so much lighter and we are developing a better relationship.
~I’ve been eBaying, Craig’s listing and Freecycling my stuff. Rather than having 5 casseroles I have 2, rather than having books I don’t read, I Bookmooch or Paperbackswap them. Rather than having clothes I don’t like enough to wear or shoes that I’m not really comfortable in anymore I sell or give them away. I got rid of tax info I had going back to the early 70′s.
This isn’t a one time thing, it’s a series of unloadings, like peeling an onion…sometimes because it’s so time consuming to have these projects going and sometimes because you’re not ready to get rid of something, it still has a connection to you you’re not wanting to break yet. I have 2 long cake pans. I need to get rid of the metal one with the plastic cover. I can’t do it yet but know the next purge of my kitchen, it’s going. I can open all of my kitchen cabinets now and find only what I need, no clutter, just easy to reach for usefulness. My bathroom is that way too. Yeah, 2 rooms down.
~I’ve gone through my file cabinet and even sold the cabinet! I hate filing. Everything I’ve kept can be placed in 4 really nice document boxes. If they get too full, I’ll purge more from them rather than replace them. Less IS more.
I’m so much freer; traveling light like I did when I was in my 20′s. I’m happier. I’m saving money because now I can find important papers quickly and my desk isn’t slip sliding away.
Somehow the clutter was connected with the abuse and as I’m no longer being abused, I’m able to shed all the weight physically, psychically, and emotionally. The exterior work is just a manifestation of the interior house cleaning I’ve been doing at the same time.
I love the late George Carlin’s riff on stuff. It’s so true.
http://www.writers-free-reference.com/funny/story085.htm
Dlana what you’re doing is awesome!!
“This isn’t a one time thing, it’s a series of unloadings, like peeling an onion…”
so true, esp. if we tend to be perfectionists who would rather do everything in one sweep or do nothing at all!
keep up the shedding of abuse and nourish yourself with love for the life you’re creating
hugs
Antonella