Holiday season is in full swing and while we are still in the Thanksgiving spirit, let’s talk about being thankful. We know this time of year is about spending time with your loved ones but we also want you to look at the things around you and think about what you are truly thankful for. This is not to encourage you to become attached to the items around you but to take a deeper look at what you have surrounded yourself with.
Take a walk around your home and explore each section. Be sure to open cabinets, closets and drawers. This is not a one day project and can be done over a long period of time but it can help you with a fresh start in the New Year. Set aside time each day or weekend to really discover each space in your home.
As you are looking through these spaces remember how grateful you are for your home and your life. You should only be keeping items that deserve a place in your home. There will be some items that you know you will keep and love but there will also be items you are unsure about. For those items ask yourself these questions to figure out if you are truly thankful for them.
How is it being stored?
Did you find something in the bottom of a drawer or back of a closet that you didn’t know you had? Maybe you aren’t thankful for this item because you are not treating it that way. If you didn’t take the time to store it correctly are you really care for that item?
How often do you think about/notice the item?
This is a good question to ask yourself when it comes to keepsakes or family heirlooms. If you have been keeping an item that had meaning to you but you haven’t thought of it or looked at it in years, is it really worth keeping? If you want to remember some of these keepsakes, take a picture of it. Pictures are easy to store and you can create an album with all your memorabilia that you can look at whenever you want.
Does it support the life YOU want to live?
Whether you want to travel the world or stay at home and watch Netflix think about the life you want to live. If there is an item you are questioning ask yourself if that item is supporting the life you want. This question might be harder than the others but just think if the item in question is adding value to your life or just weighing it down.
Do you like the item or the memory?
When we have trouble letting go of an object, it’s usually the memory, rather than the item itself, that we are frightened of losing. You need to separate the memory from the item and try to preserve the memory in a way that honors and respects it.
Does it bring you joy?
Our house should be our happy place, a place that you walk into and feel comfortable. The things in your home should make you feel the same way. If there are items in your home you purposely ignore or secretly hate, why would you keep it? We see this a lot with gifts people receive. Just because someone bought it for you doesn’t mean you are stuck with it forever. If there are items in your home that are not bringing you joy maybe it’s time to let them go.
Will someone else be able to enjoy it more?
There are many great ways to purge your unused items these days including a variety of charities. If it is an item you want to sell, those options are also growing. When looking at an item that no longer brings you the joy it once did think about how letting it go could bring joy to someone else. This process may be easier this time of year while you are in the giving/holiday spirit.
Now that you have cleared your home of items you are no longer thankful for, remember all the hard work and time you put into getting your home that way. When you go shopping or get a gift, ask yourself if it is something you truly love and if it deserves a place in your home. During this process you will see your preferences change as your life changes. We would encourage doing this sweep every other year to keep your home full of joy and not just things. It is easy to fill our homes with items but when we look around and surround ourselves with things we love it will help make for a more joyful life.
Good luck sorting and give thanks!
