Sunday, September 30, 2007

Space to Breath, Space to Create, Space to Grow

Help, I am drowning in clutter. We moved from a large house to a smaller one with "more usable space". The problem is, at the old house, I had plenty of places to stick junk where I did not have to deal with it. At the new house, anything that does not have a place is in the way. I have given away or sold hundreds of things from our old house and our store (we closed more than a year ago). I find myself feeling scattered overwhelmed and hopelessly unproductive. More stuff has got to go. Loving this office at Design*Sponge.

October begins my kick to finally purge the clutter, so today as I was moving boxes around, I came up with this new mantra.

Everything I release gives me more space to breath, more space to create and more space to grow.

2 comments:

suttonhoo said...

love it.

but I think I still love your other "on the road" mantra better. ;)

owe you an email -- coming soon -- quick answer: "yes" to all the above.

gracefulfish said...

I suppose if you really 'went at it' as planned back in October of 2007, this answer is too late for you, the writer. BUT if you're like me, and still dealing with things long after the deadline passes, let me share ideas that I hope will get me moving today too!

If not, this is for the rest of us:

Nothing is more daunting than the spectre of "I hafta.."

Forget what you're SUPPOSED to do -what would you LIKE? Give your self permission to take 20 minutes or all day to fantacize. Get a pencil and paper and write down exactly what you wish your current living space could be, if you snapped your fingers and it just happened magically, right now.

What functions do you REALLY and TRULY feel like performing every day? What are the things you've always told yourself you'd do "one day when time allows?"

No rules - except YOU are in charge here. Visualize yourself ACTUALLY doing all these things. Give yourself permission to admit that maybe some stuff you haven't done is just really too much trouble, but you haven't wanted to let yourself down by just chucking an outgrown dream. No? Well, that's okay too. NOW- how many functions and activities are you left with?

How many rooms have you got. Which ones can do double duty?

If you start to make what you WANT happen, You will instinctively pull aside the things that get in your way as you claw your way through to "the good stuff."

Got a lawn? LUCKY you! Do what they do on HGTV's Mission Organization. Wait for a gorgeous day and spread a big old blanket sheet or tarp on the lawn. Then, after putting fido in the house so he doesn't lift his leg on anything, pile stuff outside, emptying the room completely, if you can.

Put back only what you really want.
Have a yard sale if you have the steam, hauling the leftovers off to charity. Or if like me, yard sales have proven more trouble than they're worth, just pick off the worn junk and toss it, and take all the goodies off to the Salvation Army and ask them for a receipt. Maybe it's enough to take off your income tax if you itemize.
If not, you've just bought yourself extra living space without having to pay more money.

Doesn't THAT make it easier to let go? Hate sifting through old memories, because like me you're not perfect and didn't do everything right? Visualization time. Open imaginary "storm cellar doors" located at the top of your head. Each time "I should have" or " I shouldn't have, " pop up, Say to yourself "That's right,but I can't do anything about it now that it's over, other than learn from it." Now OPEN THOSE DOORS! IF regrets won't float up and out on their own, get your imaginary broom and chase them, fiercely!

Well that's all the time I've got.
I'm late following my own advice.
=)