How many of spend hours searching for something? We know we put it here but then it got moved to there and then maybe it was pulled or used and then placed somewhere else? We spend hours of life searching for thing we need amongst things we never use or never need but for some odd reason we never get rid of.
In our household we have boxes, disposable cardboard boxes for stuff we don't need, don't want, don't bring us joy or make our lives better. Those boxes are filled with clothing I put on and realize no longer fit or no longer make me feel fabulous. They are filled with items that may have been used for a project that was completed months ago but with no foreseeable use in the future. We fill those boxes with things we have emotional or physically outgrown and will no longer require in the life we are creating.
I have done this for many years, I did this when my girls were little so that when they had something they no longer wanted or needed they could put it in the box and their sisters knew it was open game. My children still visit and their favorite stop in my home is that box. They often find shoes or clothing I have discarded or no longer wear that they have always loved and were just waiting for the time I no longer wanted to keep it. They are welcome to take it home with them, try it on to see if it fits or make into something useful for their own lives.
Once a month I put those boxes completely filled with items we no longer find useful in my Jeep and we do a thrift store run. Trying to make sure it is half price day so that I can pick up the items I find that I do need in my life such as organization tools or clothing to complete an outfit, or even sometimes furniture. That way I am keeping my unwanted items out of landfills, keeping them out of my way so they don't clutter my space and make it difficult to find the items I do need and help my children out because they are very crafty and often see inspiration in pieces I have cast off. Sometimes a whole new outfit, sometimes a blanket or gift to give to another sometimes just something they have been wanting to do or purchase but save money by taking what I no longer need.
It is fun to visit their homes and often leave with things I now need that they have added to their own cast off boxes. I ended up with over 100 potting containers last growing season because my son in law who works at a junk yard came across them and knew I needed them for our growing garden. They are the simple black ones with drainage holes and make wonderful medium sized containers for plants not ready for a 5 gallon bucket or in the ground but to large for seed pots. Doing our part to recycle, reclaim and reuse all that we can. It not only saves us money and time, but it also saves our planet by using things already created to do things that make us happy.
Many people feel that uncluttering takes a lot of money, you can hire someone to come in and do it for you or you can get motivated and do it yourself. Often times finding exactly what you need to make it happen lying idly amongst the "junk" in your storage unit, attic, garage, or even your yard. By uncluttering with a purpose you are removing the things that no longer bring you happiness and making room in your life for the things that do.
I know all of our lives are crazy hectic. That often times we put off doing things that will help us make better usage of our time because we just cannot find the time to get organized. But think of all the time you will save if you unclutter your life. Think of all of the money you will save by being able to find that one item you are searching for without having to take the time to go pick up a second one to replace the one you cannot find. Think of all the energy you will save by uncluttering and organizing your life and your home for the maximum productiveness and ease in finding what you need or want.
Start small, do one small project that you have been putting off. A drawer, a cabinet, or even your closet. Empty it to the walls and take stock of what you have. If it is your clothing, try on every piece to ensure it fully functional, doesn't require mending, and still fits. If something doesn't fit it is time to either put it away somewhere that it isn't going to take up valuable space or get rid of it. I do not keep clothing that doesn't fit because it is a constant reminder that once upon a time I was smaller, larger, or just a different person. I am looking to my future not wanting to remember what is past.
If I grow or lose weight I can always find an excuse to go shopping for the basic wardrobe clothing. I invest in accessories, they rarely go out of style they always fit no matter how large or small you may be and a good investment in quality jewelry can last you for decades and be handed down to younger family members after you no longer require them or sold to purchase new pieces. I invest in handbags which I purchase second hand that hold up to a very strenuous work out in my life. They help to pull an outfit together, make a statement regarding my capabilities to provide a service as well as make me feel good when I luck up and find a quality purse for a good price. I organize mine using thumb tacks on a free wall creating art from their beautiful designs and colors and it makes for a great way to see at a glance what I have and not spend more on things I don't need.
You don't have to be crazy wealthy to afford to unclutter and organize. It can often be done reusing items you may throw away. I love shoe boxes. If I purchase a new pair of shoes or a friend buys a new pair of shoes I repurpose old shoe boxes. I can cover them with contact paper, label them with what is inside, stack them on a shelf and always find what I am looking for by simple reading a label. It is a cheap method for organizing that doesn't cost much and when they are worn out or used up I have no guilt in disposing of them. I also purchase plastic bins at goodwill or the dollar tree for using to corral needed items together. Like scissors or hair accessories so that I can find them all instead of searching all over for a hair clip or a barrette. This is also a great way for keeping your room clutter free, when I clean I have a separate box for each room. If I am cleaning the living room I may have a box that goes to the master bedroom and bath, another box that goes to our dog room, another box that goes to our craft room / office and yet another box of stuff to go. When I am cleaning I simply toss everything into a box that goes to a particular room and when I go to clean that room I empty the box and put the items away. Reusing that box to put things that go into the room I just cleaned. This saves me an amazing amount of time of walking back and forth between rooms because I can stick it in a box and the next time I go to that room I can put things where they belong.
If everything in your life has a place you spend far less time trying to remember where you left something. If you get into the practice of putting things in their place you will always know exactly where to go to find them when you need them. If you have a dedicated spot for things you won't find yourself owning half a dozen of the same item because you cannot find it when you need it saving you not only time but also money. If you purge the items that no longer make you happy you can spend more time and money on the things that do.
It is an evil cycle, as Americans we are taught to buy buy buy and then buy some more. But as a society if we learned to use our resources more wisely we would find ourselves much happier because we wouldn't have to work as hard to have the life we wanted because we would learn to be happier on less and no longer clutter our lives with items that do not bring us happiness. I know I may sound un American by that statement but the reality of the situation is this. The majority of things sold in the United States is made overseas and there for by spending money we can ill afford we are not really supporting our own economy we are supporting those overseas. If we purchase locally and support our local mom and pop places we are putting or money to work in our backyards. We are helping the kids in our community to play softball because that mom and pop is far more likely to provide much needed funding for uniforms and balls and bats.
If we utilize mom and pop locations we showing those within our own communities that the buck stops here and putting that money back into our own pockets by supporting free enterprise and continuing the cycle of life that Americans are proud of and have done for years. We eat locally, we try very hard to shop locally and use what we have instead of spending money better spent elsewhere to purchase items we need instead of replacing items we already have.
I hope my words have given everyone some food for thought. I hope my blog today motivates others to take control of their own lives back, to clean out the things in their own lives that no longer bring them joy in order to make room for the things that do.
I hope my blog today finds all happy and well, and until tomorrow blog buddies. Stay safe, stay sane, and stay happy.
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