Without looking, what is in your bookshelves? What is on your mantle? Last, but not least, what is in your basement, garage or attic?
If you don’t know, you are not alone. Like many things, items that we hold onto start to fade into the woodwork after a while.
Empty nesters, retired adults and seniors often desire a simpler life with less “stuff” to manage. Deciding which possessions to keep, and which to part with can be an overwhelming task.
Avoidance, sentimentality, not knowing the actual value of something and the physical task of actually simplifying your life are four of the main reasons we don’t even try to tackle the job.
As we get older, it becomes more important than ever to stay organized and rid ourselves of things that we no longer use or need. It also gets harder to physically and emotionally motivate ourselves to do the work.
Whether you are downsizing or resizing, simplifying your surroundings will give you a sense of control over your life. It also forces you to make tough decisions about what you need and use or what you give away or throw out.
When we make the decision to de-clutter our homes, we should consider keeping only those things that we currently need, truly use or simply just treasure.
One of the great stresses faced by seniors and boomers today is things we collect and save: old catalogs, mail, outdated coupons, clothes that no longer fit or wear, kitchen items that we no longer use, and furniture that doesn’t fit into our homes or our lifestyle anymore.
Once you develop a regular habit of decreasing clutter, your body and mind will feel lighter and less encumbered. It will feel like a great burden has been lifted off your shoulders.
The sheer exhilaration of giving your no-longer-needed things to people who truly could use them is in itself a mitzvah that is hard to top. Your generosity is not only unselfish, but also is the first step towards a more organized and simplified life.
Are you now thinking, “How did I get to this point?” or “What was it like before the clutter?” It doesn’t matter how it happened, what matters now is knowing the changes you make from this point forward will bring you to more manageable and fulfilling life —a life where you can focus on the present and start living life to its fullest.
Milwaukeean Connie Eastman is president of The Organizers, which specializes in home and office organization and de-cluttering, paper management, storage solutions, packing and moving, home staging, and personal assistant services. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers.
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