Last year I shared our purging and downsizing journey with you as we prepared for our move to Santa Fe. And you know, looking back I’d have to say we did a pretty good job.
As we’ve ventured forth on the unpacking, organizing, and fitting-it-all-in part of the journey, we’ve come to embrace the concept of less, but better. It’s continued to grow on us more and more. Especially after handling twenty-two or so years of American household accumulation.
Sometimes living untucked involves coming to terms with our stuff
And moving into a temporary rental that’s less than half the size of our former home is challenging even after all the load-lightening we did.
Proof is in the boxes, though… in the eight months since our move, we’ve stayed in purging-mode. Though at a slower pace, we’re still making regular trips to Salvation Army with donations and have a few boxes marked for eBay. My point is, we’ve made a big dent in parting ways with our excess.
After purging, packing, unpacking, and stowing an entire house full of possessions…
Let’s say one gains a certain appreciation for the joy these things spark in one’s soul.
And when they don’t, they get marked for more purging and downsizing.
One of our partners in our initial stuff-purging-assault was an awesome company called 123Junk where the 1 represents donating donate-ables first, and the 2 is for recycling all recyclables next, and finally, the 3 calls for responsibly disposing of the rest.
123Junk’s latest newsletter had a post that talked about how decluttering ninja, Marie Kondo’s methods might work for you. And for when they don’t, they suggest several other tactics you might use.
The methods they proposed as Kondo alternates aren’t necessarily new, but they each have a new twist to an old approach.
All three would have been helpful during our journey…
So, you don’t want to miss them. As simple as they are, they’re winning tactics for your purging and downsizing efforts.
The Four Box Method – When you’re sorting through your junk, um sorry, your precious possessions, grab four boxes. Label them Put Away, Give Away, Throw Away, and Can’t Decide. I totally relate to the last box. So many times, I was cruising along making great progress, suddenly coming to a screeching stop holding some ridiculous item in my grip. I can’t move. I just can’t decide. Voila! Enter the Can’t Decide box.
Of course, don’t allow yourself to make the Can’t Decide box an item’s final destination. The beauty of this approach is it keeps you moving forward. You’re welcome!
The Expiration Date Method – Give that stuff an expiration date just like your groceries. The traditional wisdom says that any possession that hasn’t proven its worth in a year never will; and therefore, you should dispose of it.
This one is often applied to clothing. My take is this… the strategy behind this one is sound. It’s just that a year often isn’t long enough. What if we have a couple of warmer winters in a row and you get rid of a bunch of sweaters? So, it’s a good rule— just be judicious in setting an expiration date. It should make sense for you.
The Hunting Season Method – They called this “The One Thing” method, but all I could think of was Curly in the movie, City Slickers. I couldn’t help myself.
Since going after your whole home at one time is an invitation for overwhelm, here’s what you do instead… declare hunting season for one category of item (tools, shoes, toys) or one space in your house (garage, junk drawer, closet). The idea is to give yourself the satisfaction you get from small wins and building momentum.
Purging and downsizing will bring you joy… eventually!
Remember the answer to the classic question, “How do you eat an elephant?” (Not that you would want to… and for those who don’t remember, the answer is one bite at a time).
I know… it’s a groaner.
Be untucked.
Thank you for reading LifeUntucked today. It really means a lot considering you have over 31 million other choices. I strive to make it one of the most helpful blogs on the interwebs. Your thoughts and comments are always welcome!
Copyright © 2022 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved
Love the “one thing” method! Makes sense!