Less is More: How Decluttering and Downsizing Benefits Your Kids’ Happiness
I recently promoted myself to the role of Encore Explorer, divested myself of a permanent residence, rented a storage unit to house my furniture and personal contents indefinitely, and set off to travel, leveraging digital technology to grow my business, visit people I want to spend time with, and expand my life’s experience.
I have no fixed duration in mind for this adventure. At present, I have no idea when I’ll throw out my anchor and come back to shore.
I will continue to explore until I’m not enjoying it, much like my philosophy about Retirement; “I only intend to retire from the things I no longer like to do.”
A major learning curve (ongoing!) on this journey to prepare for my “work anywhere in the world” journey, is letting go of tons of “stuff” I gathered over six decades.
Seriously, I still have my own baby book, the flower girl dress I wore at age three and a half, and my high school yearbook!
I preserved ceramic Christmas ornaments I made when my kids were young, and mementos that grandchildren made thirty years ago.
I treasured and protected my mother’s tiny strand of pearls, and her prize possession, a comedy and tragedy masks TV lamp, cracks, glues, unsafe wiring, and all.
I have moved all these things – multiple times.
As I sorted and packed again, for the second time in less than two years, I realized I still had so much downsizing to do.
Letting go of “stuff” is more than detaching from possessions. Success is separating the emotion from the item, uncoupling the connection without releasing the love or memory associated with it.
I have not succeeded entirely, but I have learned this much so far:
- I have much more internal and external work to do to achieve an optimal balance between keeping enough to create my next welcoming home environment, and leaving space to add new, more timely, physical trappings in the future.
- I have learned to acknowledge that “stuff” is just stuff, and, if I choose, I can recall memories by looking at photographs, recalling sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and touch associated with these items.
- Anytime I choose, I can replay vivid mind movies, and share stories with others, that reconnect me with the individuals and experiences related to these possessions.
- I no longer need (and never use!) three different sets of china, dozens of serving dishes, eight matching stemmed martini glasses, or a myriad of other entertaining paraphernalia held over from previous lifestyles.
- My kids, extended family, and friends don’t want my stuff unless they’ve already specifically asked for something. They have their own stuff. Most importantly, they don’t want the burden of dealing with my stuff when I am deceased or unable to deal with it.
Come along with me on this journey of self-discovery, self-compassion, and self-love.
On the eve of sixty-nine years of living, I have so much more life in me.
I will continue to share the good, the bad, the not-so-pretty truths, and oh-so-delightful discoveries of breaking the mold of staying put, confined by traditions, and outdated paradigms of what we should do “at this age” and do with all our ‘stuff’.
And maybe, like me, you’ll hear, “Mom – thanks for getting rid of that stuff!”
Join me and subscribe to stay up to date via:
Lift As You Climb Podcast – on all major audio platforms
More about downsizing: Strategies for Successful Downsizing in your Sixties and Seventies
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P.S.
I invite you to share your downsizing experience, wisdom, and questions with me via email, to Hello@TheEncoreCatalyst.com
Thanks in advance because my kids might benefit from your perspective!
Originally Published on https://www.theencorecatalyst.com/
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