What Did We Get Rid of This Week?
The Decluttering Journey begins -
The average American has 300,000 things in their home. That’s a whole lot of stuff. Well, based on the number of LEGO pieces I stepped on today alone, my house is in the top 1% ruining the curve for everyone.
Okay, that metric may be a tad unreliable, but it sure feels like the truth sometimes. There is a stressful, mental heaviness that surrounds every item in my house. It’s overwhelming. Even trying to decide where to begin, to clean or organize, feels oppressive. My mind and body shut down in response to that impossible challenge. In the war against clutter, my body chooses flight every time.
It’s time for me to face the mess and start fighting. Every week, I’ll try to reduce the number of items in our home. It won’t always be easy or perfect, but shedding the habits of hoarding and over-consumption will take time. The most important thing is to get started!
Here are the things we got rid of this week:
Rusty hand-me-down grill
When my mom upgraded her grill, she passed her old one to me. It was a generous gift. It was also a completely baffling decision, since I’d never grilled before and had little interest in doing so. I suppose she thought it would inspire me to cook more. “It’s so much healthier!” she exclaimed. So the grill came into my life. And sat. And sat.. And sat some more…
Office chair
We recently found our son a comfortable, used office chair at the local St. Vincent de Paul. It didn’t take long to realize why someone had given it away in the first place. The crank didn’t work and the faux-leather fabric shed tiny flakes everywhere. We clearly didn’t put in our due diligence on the initial purchase. Lesson learned.
Organ bench turned side table
Originally found on the side of the road, this small bench enjoyed a nice second life as our outdoor side table and s'more supply stand. Weather and use have worn it out, and it’s time to say goodbye.
Holiday Pajamas
These pajamas were a kind gift from a family member, but didn’t fit right.
Dying Houseplant
A small potted begonia whose time had come. Farewell, dear plant, and into the compost bin with you.
Bedroom Mystery Pile
One corner of our room has become the dumping ground for all the miscellany we don’t know what to do with—or that we’re too lazy to properly store in the moment. We finally sorted through and organized everything. Plenty of empty boxes, old papers and charging cords, as well as an ancient sleep apnea machine and a pair of brand-new pants still in the package.
