I could tell you it’s my perfect systems.
I could tell you it’s my organized family.
I could tell you it’s my awesome built-ins.
But why would I lie to you?! 😉
The truth is, I don’t have any of those things, yet there are so many aspects that make up a mostly organized home.
But, if I was on The Family Feud (I always wanted to be on that show) and the top five answers were on the board, I believe the highest points would go to…
…Drumroll please…
I don’t keep much.
Yes, if I had to pick one thing, one factor, one secret to my organized home it would be:
My ability to let go of stuff.
But I used to keep much more.
:: More papers
:: More clothes
:: More shoes
:: More stuff I was going to get fixed one day (haha)
:: More magazines
:: More wedding gifts
:: More kids artwork
:: More shoes
:: More recipes
:: More scrapbooking stuff
:: More makeup
:: More receipts
….Just a lot more.
It meant more time on figuring out where I should put stuff, how it would fit, how I would deal with the old stuff, where it would look good, how I would file it and so many other decisions related to “more.”
It meant more space and storage to be created, swapped, rejiggered, purchased, disposed of, reshuffled and many other decisions related to “more.”
It meant more mental energy on what to keep, what to get rid of, what to repurpose, what to donate, what to pass on, what to do and so many other decisions related to “more.”
And then a funny thing happened.
As I started making small shifts in my thinking and behavior about what was really important, I noticed an incredible pattern.
Just as more stuff meant more time, storage and mental energy….Less stuff meant less time, storage and mental energy.
The clouds had parted! The angels started singing! Ahhhhhhhhh…..
It was such a simple, yet earth-shattering discovery for me.
The less I kept, the more organized IÂ could keep my life.
So I got used to keeping less.
And it didn’t happen in a week or a month or even in a few months. And I still struggle from time to time with keeping things that are probably not necessary. But I’ve gotten so much better at letting go. And at letting go FAST.
:: When the kids bring home 27 math worksheets, I oooooh and ahhhhh, and in the recycling bin they go.
:: When I buy new socks, I immediately pull out some old pairs and toss them in the donate box.
:: When I come home with freebies, I quickly assess if I have enough highlighters and pads, (the answer is almost always yes) and let them go too.
It’s like flexing a muscle. A letting-go muscle. I think it’s located somewhere between your brain and your heart. 😉
When you haven’t used a muscle in a long time, it’s slow and painful to start using. But once you flex it regularly, you can’t remember when it was something you barely used at all.
By building up my letting-go muscle, I make decisions quicker and easier because I know the “stuff” is bigger than the stuff itself.
It’s about everything else it will add to my life.
The time.
The space.
The anxiety.
The mental energy.
By simply having less my family and I are able to keep on top of organization much more successfully than we could with more, more, more.
It’s been the simplest way for me to crush that dreaded, overwhelming feeling I used to wake up with or come home to, all the time.
No matter what fancy built-ins, baskets and labels you might have, by keeping more, more, more — organization will be always be a challenge or a time suck. Neither of which sound too appealing, do they?
The key to letting go? Focus on what you’re keeping instead of what you’re giving up.
In other words…
Don’t dwell on what you’re eliminating. Celebrate what you’re keeping.Â
It makes letting go much easier.
So my secret is out. I don’t keep a lot of stuff.
And I take comfort in that because I know it’s the biggest contributor to having less stress, anxiety and overwhelm in my life – plus more time, space and freedom for other things that are way more meaningful to me.
Have you noticed the same when you’ve been able to let go?
I’d love to hear your experience. Join me in a conversation in the comments below.
If you’re struggling with getting organized, I hope this one secret will inspire you to keep less stuff too.
With so much love,
Mridu
P.S. Is there someone if your life who could benefit from this message? Please forward them this blog. It might be exactly what they need to hear right now.
For me, it is easy to get overwhelmed if there too many items of anything. I find I enjoy my things more when I have less of them. For example I didn’t buy the “full” knife set as I find a great quality utility knife, bread knife and chef’s knife usually cover 90% of the tasks I need to do in the kitchen. Now I can get rid of the knife block I don’t use and let someone else benefit from it !
Carolyn, that is such a perfect example. Thank you for sharing! And way to embrace “less is more.” 🙂 With appreciation, Mridu
That is a great “secret”!!!! LOL
You just inspired me to get rid of a few *New* things by donation cos I had tried to see if I could give to friends and unsuccessful at fiving to good home.
So beautifully written and true. I agree that Less is the number one factor in keeping an organized space but it is so hard to implement. Now I have to decide whether to delete your insightful email explaining so well why it’s so important to limit your stuff and how to emotionally let go because my inbox is so cluttered with good info. 🙂
I’ve discovered there’s a burden to keeping this “stuff”.
So I’m learning to let go of my deceased Mother’s things. She would never want me to be distressed over her unusable items.
Letting go of “stuff” means I have room for people. I don’t want to choose things over people and experiences.
Mridu,
I first started following you a good while ago because I wanted to learn how others taught organization. I still follow you and “finally” started a small blog meant to someday be a checklist for “aging in place”.
I’ve learned so much from you. A few things: take before and after pictures, make a small doable list of 3 things you want to accomplish each day and post them, hold yourself accountable and then reward yourself when you reach a goal (not with “stuff”. Finally after much work and do-overs, everything has a place. When all our clothing and linens are clean they have a place to go, all my books fit on the bookcases, I have a bag/box in the bedroom for outgoing clothing (I don’t like the fit, material, no longer suits my lifestyle), worn/tired/torn/stained goes directly to trash after I remove buttons, I have a large file box for yearly receipts and bills, and a shredder and recycle trash can where I entertain the incoming mail.
Less stuff=less work/maintenance=more free time=more fun=more time for family & friends
Thank you!