A Keen Slate

It is now finally time (perhaps a little past time) to put away Christmas decorations . Although I have sorted and donated mountains of clutter in other areas, we have fortunately not accumulated much Christmas decor. This is owing mostly to always living in a relatively small space, with little storage. Since our current rental is at least two times bigger than previous homes, our decor is even more spaced out, and I love it .      Our Christmas decor focuses on a winter-themed tablecloth, decorated sideboard, nativity, and The Norfolk Island Pine enthusiastically and lopsidedly decorated by my six-year old daughter 😀. A few little gnomes, a small wreath, and garland complete the indoor decor. Any additional pops of color are splendidly fulfilled by red poinsettias. We also have a few outdoor lights.  With all this (with the exception of the lights, which come out at Diwali time) held by only one medium-sized plastic bin, I am always relieved that it is not more . In the coming years

I was recently asked the thought question: What would be "my" word this year? Quickly, almost instinctively, I said, " Lighter ". While life can certainly be great, sometimes it's really hard. Uncomfortable. Sticky. Heart-rending. Terrifying. In a word, life, and its accompanying emotions, can be heavy .  So, if blessed with the opportunity, this year   I want to work towards lightness . I can't control what happens to me or those I love, but I can control how I respond to events around me. In the interim, I can invite more lightness into my life. Rolling with the punches but knowing that I don't have to white-knuckle my way through; I can loosen my grip even when things feel heavy.   Taking a breath, letting go of fear, feeling gratitude for the love that surrounds me, I have the power to feel lighter in each moment and to be filled with light.  Whether it's decluttering possessions or letting go of toxic emotions, that's exactly what I'm s

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

Right now I'm focusing on a new challenge : to get the garage cleaned out and sell some stuff on marketplace. Last year my dad came to visit and brought a beautiful 'new' table, one that my family had used as a dinner table when I was a teenager. Made by Mennonite craftsmen, the ingenuity of the pull-apart mechanism and the hidden leaves is exquisite. My dad had painstakingly refinished the four chairs, so the set is also a reminder of his handiwork. Although we loved our square breakfast nook table, now we can actually welcome more dinner and anytime guests.  So what to do with the old table? I thought about selling it, decided to keep it for one main reason: The sticky issue of cleaning out the garage. As I mentioned in the new challenge post , I would like to clear out the half of the garage occupied by boxes, totes, and other items so that both vehicles can fit inside (and we can get rid of stuff we have now dragged through two moves!).  The dilemma was being able to ta

For anyone just starting out on their decluttering journey, I would be the first to advocate donating. Why? Because selling items online via Ebay or Marketplace, consignment, or garage sale is time consuming and often aggravating ... And the money 'earned' is usually not nearly worth the effort.  If I have learned this in the past, and if this is what I say to others, then why am I being a hypocrite (and perhaps a fool) about it now?  The truth is, I have a bit of a dilemma. I have made a lot of progress on my decluttering journey by donating or recycling a lot of items. And, after I first realized how hard it was to sell things, how little I would get for most of them, and that the money is already gone, donating felt pretty good. But now I am left with half a garage full of items that need to be re-homed. I know that a significant number of items would probably sell, and now I live in a neighborhood where I see people are constantly posting things on the community page. So wh

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

As I pulled my thoughts together to start this blog, I scrolled through images of donation pickups I'd scheduled since May of 2019. Literally boxes and boxes of stuff.  In truth, I am a little amazed. Amazed:  At myself, a supposedly money-conscious frugalista who shopped thrift stores and the clearance rack,  At what this meant about the sheer volume of stuff I had before I started, and    That all of that was STUFFED into a 1125 square foot 2 bedroom townhome, and a 900 sqft one before that! (no wonder I often felt like I was losing my mind!)  Looking at the pictures, I feel like I've come a long way. And that's because I have come a long way. Even without showing items still lurking in my home, even people who don't know me can guess my progress.  However, even with the validation that can come from others witnessing (and celebrating) my progress, it is not my reason for doing this. For me, reaching my full potential lies somewhere within decluttering ... everything

I could start at the very beginning, but I won't, at least for now. The truth is, I've already come a long way. But now I want to go a little further. A lot further. Moving on from always feeling I am just on the cusp of something to diving in, with full immersion.  That's where I am right now. And right now is important, because it is everything. I have decided that the way to make more progress with every current (and future) challenge is by engaging keen awareness. With mindfulness as my compass, I can accomplish anything and move towards lightness in my life. Will I falter and mess up sometimes? Yes, I will. I know that. But that is also where mindfulness and the present moment come in. I do not have to be afraid of the future, and I do not have to be affected by my past. I can decide not only to change, but to take action, in this (and every) moment.  This possibility present within each passing moment is in itself an amazing opportunity, and it is my privilege to shar