No more junk!

One of the lessons we have learned with frequent moves since selling our Virginia house in 2012, is how unimportant so much of our 'stuff' is. I had already subscribed, in theory, to more of a minimalist lifestyle - simplification; quality rather than quantity. I have learned with every box I am STILL unpacking that my commitment to that lifestyle was only theoretical and not yet realized. I can tell you from experience that as you get older your superfluous stuff means less and less and eventually you start resenting its presence as you feel it's weight pressing in on you at a time you perhaps have less energy or want to spend your time building memories instead of dusting your junk. I bought the book THE MINIMALISTS, last year and read their blog regularly to see what inspiration and ideas I can glean. This one seemed like a good one to share if your closets, garages and cabinets are bursting with superfluous stuff like mine.

The Minimalists

Start With the Easy Stuff
By Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus

Baffled by life’s excess, we often look around at our piles of miscellanea and throw our hands in the air. There’s so much emotion - so many memories - wrapped up in our possessions.
Although of course, the memories aren’t in the possessions—they’re inside us. And that’s where they’ll always be. But, still, letting go is difficult. Difficult, yes; but not impossible.

Want to start simplifying? First, avoid starting with sentimental items and difficult-to-part-with objects; you’ll never get started if you’re faced with all that heavy lifting. And stay away from the most onerous rooms: basements, garages, and attics; they will only overwhelm you.
Instead, start with the easy things: the superfluous clothes jammed in the closet, the junk drawers teeming with junk, the unused kitchenware taking up space just in case.
If you begin with the things that are painless, then, as inertia takes over, simplifying gets easier by the day.

Moreover, the journey toward a simpler life is more enjoyable with an accountability partner. A new month is peeking its head around the corner, which means it’s the perfect time to play the 30-Day Minimalism Game. So grab a friend, clear the clutter, and have some fun together.