The best room in the house has this habit of being the catch-all for clutter. Things that are in transition — perhaps used occasionally, but not particularly valued enough to have its own dedicated place – go here. Why the best room? It’s the most convenient one, just as you come in the front door. It gets the best sunlight. It has the nicest carpet and soothing coloured walls. Originally, it was meant to be my peaceful, retreat-from-the-world room. It all went wrong. And ever since it did, it’s been extremely challenging to re-harness control.
When it’s time, it’s time. I forced myself to tackle it. I managed to relinquish four huge bagfuls to charity. I set aside a few items my friends might want, and a pile for the boot sale.
The most important process was choosing things I definitely want to keep for the longterm. Those things I will take far and wide, and pay good money to ship, wherever I roam.
The challenge here was differentiating these from the items that I don’t really want or have a use for, but somehow feel I should keep. Reasons range from: “it was a gift and reminds me of that person”, to: “it cost a lot of money and no one will value it for the price I paid”.
Addressing these issues is quite a mental-versus-emotional battle. On the one hand, my relationships are with people, not the items they give me. Does the object really represent the relationship? If I don’t use it, if it actually becomes something of a burden to house, move, carry, does it truly honour the relationship? Mock it? Resent it?
And if it was an object I paid a lot of money for, but no longer value or appreciate, does it matter really if anyone else does? Am I not just continuing to pay dearly, over and over, for that same no-longer-cherished item?
Reframe the mind to see that holding on to things that are no longer absolutely loved (just in case they may prove useful at some later stage) energetically bogs us down. By releasing the object into the big wide world, we are allowing it to live out its own potential and destiny to be loved and utilized by someone else. True enough, it could wind up in a rubbish tip. But once out of our hands, we must fully let go on all levels. Imagine and trust that wherever it winds up, it will ultimatly be the best possible place for it and whomever comes into contact with it!
Keep or Throw? © September 2, 2011 | Annie Zalezsak
Clarity Tribe 
I totally agree. When I moved to a smaller house I had 17 years of ‘stuff’. Things that my mother had passed to me when she had had a clear out too. I think I agreed to take them because I wanted to make her feel able to part with them as she found it extremely difficult to let go of things, mainly for sentimental reasons. I had a major clear out but found it very hard and reproached myself on numerous occasions afterwards for letting certain items go, even when they were of no use to me anymore. I moved loads into my smaller house and felt like I was snowed under, but gradually over the two years I have been here have been able to clear things out further. Each time it gets easier and I really have not missed anything. As you say, people and memories are more important. Items and photos do help to trigger memories, but occasionally the memories are not good ones. I have reached a point in my life where I understand the importance of the here and now. Not to look back or forward, but to live and appreciate the present. It is never too late to make a new start. Each day is a new beginning, so my advice would be to let go of the past, of course remember it and learn by it, but ultimately stop thinking of things that were and concentrate on enjoying this moment in time because it will soon be the past, so aim to make the day a good one…if you do look back then your memories will all be good.
Jacqui
Thank you for your thoughtful comments and insight, Jacqui. It made me think of a time in my life when I lived out of 2 suitcases and had no furniture, but was so happy. I thought it had to do with the location I was living in. But after reading your post, I wonder if it wasn’t simply because I didn’t have “stuff” to carry around or worry about. When you think about it, it is often people with the most material possessions that seem most unhappy, while people who live simply with few possessions really enjoy people and moments — the ‘real’ stuff of life!
Thanks for contributing!
Annie