Clear House, Clear Mind

How Clearing the House Created A Moment of Insight

Woman carrying folded sweaters photo by Dan Gold on Unsplash

As our new home in Florida was getting built, I started to declutter.

The storage room and closets stored memorabilia, including elementary school drawings of the now-grown adult children. I found bags and boxes of accumulated stuff.

I promised myself to sort through the kid stuff quickly. However, I spent days compiling art and school papers into chronological piles, oohing and aahing at my kids' creativity and talent at their stick drawings and misspelled words (as only a mother could). Memories filled me.

On another day, I tackled the old jewelry box, the filled drawers with tangled chains and tarnished pieces. Following that were the clothes, hung in three different closets (yes, I overtook all the closets in the house, haven't you?). Career blazers, not previously donated, remained untouched for two years due to my retirement.

Corners of the house became a refuge for long-forgotten things, and now the days of reckoning had begun.

My husband and I would move to a down-sized house across the country, going from north to south. I had a lot to let go of.

A few months earlier, I had started to scrutinize our material possessions. I would hold an item in my hand and ask if this item was still who I was or did this item make me happy when I looked at it. I made progress, admittedly slowly.

Fast forward to now, the realization of the house completion is near. Suddenly, I was asking myself a different question I hadn't contemplated before.

"Do I want to pay to move this item across the country?"

The question intrigued me and felt super practical.

I began to look at items in a new light. Worn bed sheets wouldn't make it. I hadn't used them in years, why would I pay to move them?

"Just in case" no longer carried any water. That day would never happen, I knew.

Though, living room throw pillows would make it. I could add new pillow covers to freshen up the look. Items not previously donated or sold were given a fresh once over with my new question in mind.

"Merino wool turtleneck, do I want to pay to take you to Florida?"

(Okay, that response sounds obvious, but I would return to the north in the winter.)

Armed with my additional cost question, letting go became easier.

A few days ago, I shared my new strategy with a friend. My friend summed up the discussion. Emptying stuff that weighs us down makes sense, especially if it costs to move it with us.

My mind clicked with insight.

The clearing house questions applied to our being too:

Does this belief still represent who I am?

Does this persistent thought make me happy?

What does it cost me to keep these constant thoughts with me?

Conclusion, plus Tool

Numerous articles point to the positive mental benefits of physical decluttering (less stress, less anxiety). For me, sometimes releasing the old stuff felt hard, but the item was forgotten days later. I was proud to have made progress.

Create this simple helpful shift for your mind, too, with this tool.

Tool

Take in a big breath, then release slowly. Do this three times.

Imagine how wonderful it is to bring more oxygen into your body. See how this simple practice causes shifts in your mind too.

I do this all day long because, bonus, it brings you into the present moment too.