A Keen Slate

Sometimes I'm admittedly unproductive. Sometimes I need rest, or perhaps a little distraction. Sometimes I need fun, humor, and silliness. I believe it is important to acknowledge -and occasionally indulge in- these things.   But that's sometimes. Most of the time, I am what others might call 'productive'. I make a to-do list and check items off as I complete them. Unless my plans are somehow derailed, most tasks are done at the end of the day. But even with derailment, I still complete other, more urgent tasks.  So why does it feel like it's never enough?  Because, considering everything I do each day, it is, or at least should be. Waking up early to pack lunch for our daughter, driving her to and from school, looking after and playing with her, grocery shopping, cleaning, laundry, cooking dinner, cleaning up, errands ... Not to mention filling out arduous, time-consuming job applications, drafting professional emails that need to be, in my perfectionist mind, '

Yes, even for a seasoned declutterer like me. This might seem strange, but I have decluttered regularly since I was a child. When I felt too overwhelmed by the toys in my room, I would ask my mom to take me to the thrift store a few towns away and donate a bagful or two. As a teenager, I kept my room neat and carefully curated with only my favorite items on display. I remember both strategies creating a big sense of accomplishment and relief.  But in 2019 I began decluttering in earnest. With the three of us living in small space amidst an explosion of baby items, clothes, and toys, I knew something had to change. I was grateful for the things my daughter needed and enjoyed, but the rest of the stuff weighed on me. A lot.  Fast forward to summer 2022. It was time for our big move to NC, and I decluttered like I never had before. Still, as I wrote in a previous post , everything felt like too much ... and that I had not done enough.  2022 was a year of intense upheaval, much of it painf

So I finally got the nerve to post some items on my local neighborhood group. Up until now I have only listed stuff for free, especially before our move. Not all items I listed the other day sold, but I'm happy to say that the biggest and bulkiest did. Plus, I ended up with some cash in my Venmo account, which felt good.  Even better though, I was able to have a nice chat with the woman I sold them them to when I dropped them off at her house. That felt good too, because in our previous home we had never gotten to know our neighbors. Since I have already decluttered so much, and we are not in the process of moving (yet), selling items does not have the same sense of urgency as before. Every thing I sell equals a little more letting go, a little less stress. I know that perhaps every selling experience won't go as smoothly as this, but I feel encouraged.  Have you sold items online? How was your experience, and do you have any advice for newbies like me? Plastic drawers, x4! Bin

I am using my knowledge of the power of the present moment to change how I motivate myself, and therefore how I show up in my life and for those around me. Here I share my current goals for simplifying and letting go. My space:  To let go of anything that doesn't serve me. I know, pretty nebulous. The more concrete goals I have planned for 2023 are Operation Clear Garage and Operation Sell Stuff on Marketplace (OSSM sounds a little like 'awesome' doesn't it? Ha!). Since the garage is where my family's clutter still has a stronghold  and  the space where I take pics for putting stuff on marketplace, these two goals go hand in hand. I hope to start a month-long challenge for this soon.  My body:  I want to be more conscious about the food and drink I put into my body. I want to become physically healthier and lighter. To let go of cravings. I know what you're thinking: Isn't this just a fancy way of saying you want to lose weight? Yes. But not to be fancy, jus