The Little Things
June 25, 2014

After reading the book Notes From A Blue Bike, I subscribed to Tsh Oxendreider’s podcast. A few weeks ago I was listening to Tsh Oxenreider’s podcast on Freedom From Stuff, and about 10 minutes in I started going through a bunch of old containers of papers (it was that inspiring).

The thing is, I actually have a really difficult time getting rid of things. I connect memories to material objects so much that it sometimes feels physically painful to toss things (and of course there’s the whole “but I might need or want this someday” thoughts too). However, I like living in clean, organized spaces, so that requires me to toss things. This is why I included “going through all my clothes” in my 14 in 2014 Challenge– to give myself an extra little kick.

The fact is that stuff DOES load us down. We need some of it, but doesn’t it get exhausting to wade through the piles of clothes we don’t want, the stacks of magazines we’ve read but haven’t thrown away, or the _____ (fill in the blank) that we’ve saved because we might need it again. Our physical stuff can weigh us down and take away energy that we can use for other things. I’m really forcing myself to actually evaluate why I’m keeping what I’m keeping, and going through and tossing (or donating) more things than ever this year.

So far this year I’ve gotten rid of about 110 articles of clothing, a few books and movies, 4 pairs of shoes, 4 old belts, and a bunch of other random things. On top of that, I’ve tossed about 70 old magazines (YIKES- why was I saving all of them!?!), and tossed about 5 or 6 other bags of old papers from school, notes, articles, etc… that I was saving. I think about some of the stuff from time to time, but overall I’m enjoying the extra breathing room more than being able to visually look at the stuff.

Getting Rid of Unneeded ItemsOn the left is the VHS tape I used in college to record TV shows that were on when I was in group meetings or night classes. Clearly I still needed this in 2014… right? 🙂

I try to take a few pictures while cleaning every year, just to remind myself the following year that I got rid of all that stuff and was happy that I did it.

So here’s my challenge to you- this next week try to throw out one bag worth of things. Sometimes it can be really overwhelming to look at everything that needs to be cleaned, so start with what’s easy first, and enjoy the feeling of creating some space and breathing room in your life. The week after, do the same thing. Who wants to join me in doing this for the next few weeks?

Now it’s your turn to share! Are you someone who has a hard time getting rid of things? What are some of your tips for getting rid of things?

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4 responses to “Freedom From Stuff”

  1. Kristen @ Glitter and Dust says:
    June 25, 2014 at 6:20 pm

    I just recently went through my “stuff” and did a little spring cleaning. I am a huge fan of organizing and keeping things aesthetically pleasing. My rule for most clothing is if I go an entire season (summer, winter, etc) without wearing it, I get rid of it. Have you ever seen the show Hoarders? I absolutely cringe and am baffled by people who live in those conditions. It inspires me to do the opposite. 🙂

    • Caroline says:
      June 25, 2014 at 6:29 pm

      I know what you mean about Hoarders- it’s downright scary how they live! I’m like you- I enjoy things being organized and therefore couldn’t be that way. All my stuff now is organized and neat (for the most part), but I know I still have lots I could get rid of!

  2. Amber @ Busy, Bold, Blessed says:
    June 30, 2014 at 2:12 pm

    I’m not very good at throwing things away… but my husband is even worse! We have a big move coming up and I’m really going to have to get pumped up to throw things away haha.

    • Caroline says:
      June 30, 2014 at 2:20 pm

      Moves are great for that very reason! That’s one thing I miss about college. The multiple moves definitely helped keep things thinned out for me.