Tidying
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Spring is here! Does that mean it’s time to declutter?
Spring is here! Does that mean it’s time to declutter? And, ready or not, along with the spring season, comes the expectation and tradition to spring clean. Many of us are more than ready after the long months of winter. Our homes have been closed up for far too long and now feel stagnant and airless. The long-awaited time has arrived when we can open the windows and doors of our homes, let in the fresh air and sunshine of springtime, and sweep out the dustiness of winter. The outside world is alive with the richness of spring. The flowers and trees are in blossom, and the warming tendrils of…
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Is it time to come out of hiding?
Come out of hiding Tuesday! What did I do over the weekend? I let go of and donated my old life. Say what? Yes! The old Joan who hasn’t lived that life for years, decades even. Where was she hidden? In the back of a closet, a deep closet, hidden in the dark, out of the way. An old life that no longer existed. The life I lived well. In the dark, hidden were business suits, the outfit I wore to my daughter’s wedding, my college graduation gown from 1985, and a fancy cocktail dress. Three suits I couldn’t bear to part with … Expensive, beautifully tailored suits. Classic. Oh, they were…
- Cherished Items, Decluttering, Journey, Letting go, Musings, Simplifying, Storage Space, Tidying, Triggers
Are you frozen in overwhelm?
Are you frozen in overwhelm? Oh no! You’ve got to be kidding. Another box? How is it possible there’s yet another box? I thought I’d handled all of them, yet there it was on the shelf. A shelf that usually doesn’t store this sort of thing. How did it end up there? It must have gotten shoved in whatever open space was available just to get it out of the way – not to mention out of mind. In this case, it had been out of my mind for two years! What box is this for which I refer? A “hidden” box that went unnoticed and forgotten since my Mom…
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Are you still clinging to the old?
Is it time to unclench those fists and let go? Aren’t your hands tired by now? Isn’t it exhausting to hold on so tightly? Maintaining and holding onto stuff or a way of life that no longer serves you is exhausting. So is keeping up the façade and pretending you still need that thing, relationship, or the piles of memories you’ve accumulated. I’ve noticed how much stuff I had hung onto and no longer needed or wanted. So, slowly over the last few years, I have let go of things that no longer fit my lifestyle or were past their usefulness. Things I never thought I would release from my life. It got me thinking back…
- Change, Cherished Items, Decluttering, Journey, Letting go, Musings, Self-Care, Simplifying, Tidying, Triggers
Do you display or use your keepsakes?
Do you display or use your keepsakes? I have a beautiful keepsake that I cherish and have kept. It is one of the few meaningful things I intentionally have hung onto. Having curated and let go of so many other keepsake items over the years. This cherished keepsake is a voicemail message from my Mom singing Happy Birthday to You. Less than a month later, in October 2020, she passed away. Her voice was rough and scratchy as she sang, yet it was music to my ears, especially now that she’s gone. I listened to that beautiful message on my birthday in 2021 and will do so again this year.…
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Why do we insist on making life complicated?
Ever wonder why we prefer complicated to simple? Crazy, isn’t it that given the option of simple or complex, we pick the more complicated option. If it’s too simple, we believe it’ll never work, and we end up favoring the complex. We give undue credence to complex concepts versus simple ones. I have seen this in action over the years in my money counseling practice as I’ve counseled individuals, couples, and business owners in simple ways to tidy up and manage their money. I have helped thousands of people unpack and make simple how they manage their funds. Yet, as soon as it becomes simpler, never fail; they find a…
- Cherished Items, Consumption, Decluttering, Letting go, Musings, Simplifying, Storage Space, Tidying
Where’s your pile of negativity?
Where’s your pile of negativity? Let’s talk basements and attics. Not that everyone has them. However, for those of you who do, have you considered the tremendous negative energy that smolders below and hangs heavily above? Your basements are full of who knows what, and your attics are full of even more. Most of it you’ve kept for years, if not decades. For those who don’t have a basement or attic, this applies to you too! Aw shucks! Did you think I would only stick to what is under or above you in your home? You’ve got piles of negativity too. Only yours are hidden away in inventive places or…
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Is your clutter hidden?
Is your clutter hidden? Are you ready to laugh at yourself? There’s nothing better than to laugh at yourself when you recognize that you, too, have fallen trap to something you thought you had dealt with already. Such as clutter. You prided yourself on the fact that it was no longer an issue. After all, you have nothing left to discard, let go of, or giveaway—all neat, tidy, and organized. Or so you think! A friend and I laughed at ourselves as we chatted about clutter. We joked about how we had convinced ourselves we didn’t have any and agreed the visible areas in our homes were clear of excess. There was…
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What excuse do you use to avoid clearing clutter?
Do you hear yourself say this — I’m too busy to tidy up! What excuse do you use to avoid clearing clutter? Excuses! There is always a handy one. If not, certainly easy enough to dig one up, especially when you feel cornered or pressed. From funny, bizarre, and ingenious, to serious, sincere, and earnest, there is an excuse for everything. Whether we use them or not is up to us and whether we see the “real” truth behind the excuse, is also up to us. Let’s face it, there are more excuses than the hoarded stuff in your piles. Pick up any of the objects you have decided to…
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Do I have more debt because I have clutter?
Do you have more debt because you have clutter? Does clearing one really make a difference in the other? I have been counseling people on money matters for almost twenty-five years, and over those years, I have noticed a common thread that flows through them all. It is not hidden or even a secret. In fact, it is clearly obvious, especially to those who stop a moment and look around. It hides in our struggles with money. It keeps us awake at night and causes us to do self-defeating behaviors. It gets our attention when we have unfulfilled wants or needs, an inability to save, an unexpected expense with no…