Spring Cleaning: Letting Go Physically and Emotionally

I am a collector. I used to have odd and not-so-0dd collections like: business cards, magazine movie posters, stickers, pogs, buttons and pencils with funky wraps. My dad actually started the pins one and I continued it. I also like to keep cards from people from events I deem important like Birthday and Anniversaries. I would consider myself a hoarder of small proportions. I think I have done very well over the past years. I don’t collect as much and ask myself if I really love it, used it or if someone else can enjoy it. Since then (and moving into a smaller place) I have been more open to letting go. I cannot deny the personal work I’ve done to understand myself to get to a place where I can let go. When we clean our environment, it creates space emotionally. Our spaces tend to be a reflection of what may be how we are feeling inside. A messy desk, a clutttered mind. So when we clean out our physical space, it gives us opportunity to let go emotionally. Minimialism has been quite popular.  I’ve heard a few people have taken such organizational activities to action. I only hear great things about that. I think it is important to know that when you decide to or feel pressure to try minimalism, you are NOT loosing yourself. It sounds silly at first. I think that for those of us that attach emotions with objects, it is harder to let go. You have a connection and a relationship. This brings you something and if you don’t have it, it can bring up feelings of identity. I think that is an extreme case but I think still a consideration. I also recognized that every time I heard the term minimalism, I only thought of tangible objects. Decluttering physical space. What about emotional space? This could be people, events, places etc. that ‘no longer serve you’. This is also the conversation when you hear about toxic relationships. The same type of questions would apply to tangle objects to emotional space. Also consider junk mail you keep getting. If you aren’t using it and you immediately throw it away, why not cancel it. It took time, energy, money etc. to get that sent to you. Whether tangle or electronic, you still had to take a moment to deal with it.

Overall

Take it in stages. You don’t have to throw out everything all at once. Have a plan. if you have something you are not using but have a deep stentimental value, consider it. Categorize the item or items that fall under that group. Then give yourself 1 month. Come back to it. Did you think about it? What emotions were present? If you want to keep it, can you repurpose it? Give it a makeover! Take these things and give it new life. It may be something you only keep for another day or 4 years. You were able to slowly see it in a different way. Sometimes the different way is knowing that memory is in the person that build  you today. It is already within you. Any collectors out there? Anyone want to share?