When I downsized before moving to Florida, I put my most
cherished possessions into one small 5 x 10 storage unit and left my car with
my daughter. At the time, I was a bit
concerned that I might be getting rid of too many things but I didn’t want to
store anything that wasn’t useful or meaningful to me. The only thing I took with me was my laptop
and one carry-on bag packed with summer clothes. I didn’t know how long I would stay in
Florida so I only took what I needed for a short vacation.
That short trip turned into a year and a half of living in a
lovely furnished condo right on the river, just a few minutes from the
beach. Not only did I not miss anything
but I found that even the one bag might have been too much. All you really need is a couple of swimsuits,
sun dresses and sandals to be very comfortable in the heat and humidity. I found that I wore a lot more sunscreen and
a lot less make-up and never worried about what I had left behind.
Emotionally, it was
one of the most freeing experiences of my entire life.
Everything I had could be put into the trunk of a car and
moved wherever I wanted to go with ease.
It was such a relief to not feel weighed down by a home and all of the
things I had accumulated over the years.
Just a few months ago I decided to return to Colorado. I missed my family and thought it was time to
finally get the rest of my things out of storage, so I rented a small apartment
and closed out my storage unit. What I’m
discovering now is that except for some of my kitchen supplies and precious
mementos from my family there are very few things that I want to keep.
It is amazing to me
that I still have this much after the first round of downsizing.
I kept much more than I want or ever need, like my massive
supply of Tupperware that I rarely if ever use and the unbelievable amount of
clothes that I haven’t worn in 10 years.
I suppose that I wasn’t quite ready to part with everything at the time.
Now, after living so simply, I’m ready for Phase 2 – this is
the real test. Am I willing to part with
those things that I thought I couldn’t do without a couple of years ago?
I think I know the answer but time will tell. I am applying for a job that will take me all
over the country and will require me to live in temporary accommodation for
just a few months at a time. I would
like to keep those things that are truly precious to me, if I can manage it but
not so much that I feel tied down.
This isn’t the
lifestyle for everyone, but for me it feels like one last grand adventure
before I settle into retirement.
I am thrilled at the prospect of being able to move freely
to different locations and enjoy the experience without the burden or
obligation of too many possessions. Even
coming home from Florida was frustrating when I realized how much I had accumulated
while I was away.
There is also a very spiritual component to this purging for
me – I do believe that whenever you clear space in your life you make room for
something new to come in. I’m ready for a
change and have no resistance to letting go of those things that have given me
joy.
My work now is to
find the process that will be most effective for me.
I like the Treasure, Transfer or Toss philosophy of
downsizing. If it is something I love, I
will keep it (or take a photo and store it electronically). If it is something that someone else may have
use for, it will be donated and everything else will go in the trash or to be
recycled. Why I thought I needed to keep
20 t-shirts or 10 pair of jeans that I never wear is beyond me.
Then there is the
process of Swedish Death Cleaning.
The approach is to purge your home and organize your possessions
so that your children won't be burdened by your belongings after you pass
away. I know it sounds morbid, but after
having the responsibility of going through my mother’s things after she passed,
while I was grieving, was unbearable.
That is something I would never want my children to endure.
When I think about it those terms, I realize
I can let go of much more and leave them with only those things that truly
matter. I want them to know that I kept
that special plant they gave me for Mother’s Day 60 years ago or the lovely
candle holder they made for me in grade school.
If it doesn’t have a significant memory attached it will be gifted to
someone who may have some use for it.
With the new year upon us, this feels like the perfect time
to begin. I want to start fresh with
nothing to hold me back from this new and exciting chapter of my life after 60.
Have you downsized recently? Was
it a difficult process or did you feel relief in letting go of things? What changes have you experienced after
clearing the clutter? Share your stories
and join the conversation!
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