Thursday 26 May 2011

One box at a time

Yesterday I took this box of toys to the post office and shipped it to my eight-month-old nephews. 

Do I feel good about this? 

I feel good imagining their faces when they open up an entire box of new toys! I feel good that my two-year-old participated in selecting the toys to send to his cousins and came to the post office with me ("I don't want to go to the post office!"). 

I feel a little bit good that they're out of our house.

But mostly I feel bad about all the clutter that's here. I feel bad that my house remains full of other toys. I feel bad that toys are the least of my worries.

How about clothes, mountains of clothes...

Papers, stacks of papers...

How is it that I want to get rid of all this stuff and I sit here not doing it?

I am overwhelmed. I am afraid to dive in. And I am also trying to make other changes too -- daily meditation and exercise and adequate sleep.

So I am posting this little box of toys to stay focused on the positive. To remind myself that things are moving out, even if they're moving at an incredibly slow trickle.

Yes, it's just a box. But it's moving in the right direction.

4 comments:

  1. I think your last line says it all. As long as more is going out than coming in, eventually you'll get where you want to be. I find myself in a similarly overwhelmed sometimes, and it can be hard to muster up some motivation. It inspires me to read other people in their various stages of decluttering to know I'm not the only one who feels challenged and also to see how far along others have come.

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  2. You are in a good place hon! How do I know? That box that's leaving your house is surrounded by clean, empty floor space.

    I strongly suggest consolidating the papers into one area and leaving them be for a while. Focus your energy on some easy wins. Papers take a lot of time to sort and it can be overwhelming. Clothes! Yes, do some clothes! Just commit to tossing 10 cloth items when you read this. When you put a number on it, it feels easier.

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  3. Thanks so much for your advice and challenge Tanja. I have since thrown out a bag of toys and set aside lots of clothes (a lot more than 10) to sell or give away. I still have some more clothes to go through, and then I'm going to start moving them out of the house. I can't wait. Thanks again.

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  4. Mike, thank you for visiting my blog and for your comment! It feels good to know that I'm not alone in this.

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