…If you don’t then let me go
I can’t take another minute
Of a day without you in it
If you love me let it be
If you don’t then set me free
Take the chains away
That keep me loving you…
(If you can’t see the video about here is a link to hear Livvy (Olivia Newton John) sing)
Is this what your clutter is begging of you while you just keep it hanging on. Like a sad old romance that you cling to because it is better than being lonely. Having that stuff around even though you don’t love it any more secures you in your comfort zone while it wastes away unused and unloved. Is that anyway to reward it for it’s years of devotion to your needs.
Let it go let it be free to find someone who will truly love it for what it is not just keep it for convenience sake. There is someone out there who will love it more than you. Perhaps someone who can’t afford to buy new, someone money savvy who knows secondhand is often as good as new except cheaper or someone who needs what you don’t and would rather buy secondhand than add more pressure on the worlds resources.
Take the chains away that bind it to you, it is holding you down as much as you are it.
Today’s Declutter Item
Some time back my son decided to declutter his Coca Cola collection. It has been lingering about my garage in the vane hope that I would find a way to sell it for him. Ebay was not very successful with this portion as I only made about 99c per item. Hardly worth the effort.
Part of my Son's Coca Cola Collection
Something I Am Grateful For Today
A favour from a friend, dodging all the rain showers, decluttering something that has been on my radar for ages, a nice lamb curry for dinner, getting all my chores done and Pickers on TV later. All in all a good day.
Love that song. Love Livvy. I have been trying to figure out how to get this dress that I love but will probably never wear again out of the house so I can give it to the yard sale. I finally figured out how to do it. One of those things asking to be let go.
Good for you Deb J. And there’s nothing like a little Livvy to get the day started on a cheery note.
Half way through my honeymoon and decluttering is going well 🙂
On Monday I took a blouse I hadn’t worn this year to a charity shop. On Tuesday we took a broken lawnmower to the dump, and today, Wednesday, I took 10 large historical reference books I have had for 20 years and not looked at for years and years and ‘let them go’ to be loved and used by someone else.
Scratching that ‘itch to ditch’ – and Shirls – very happy for you to make use of that expression (as per your post of 22 Sept)
Plenty of time for other enjoyable honeymoon activities however;O)
Hi Katherine,
nice bit of decluttering you have achieved there this week. That would have made a nice empty dent in your space. Well done particularly with the reference books, at twenty years old they are probably so out of date it isn’t funny. It can feel uncomfortable while you are in the process but once they the ties have been severed the relief sets in and that wonderful feeling of lightness pervades you space. As they say in the Toyota ads ! Oh what a feeling!
Decluttering on your honeymoon is pretty “hardcore”! Good for you–and Congratulations!
LOL, yes it is a bit hardcore, but we hav chosen just to gently potter at home rather than go away: just blissfully happy to be together as Mr and Mrs and nest.
Colleen, that’s a fabulous way to declutter my wardrobe! If you love me let me know – yeah, wear me. Or let me go. Elegant solution for a no longer elegant collection of clothes that neither fit me or my current lifestyle.
Thanks for your catch-phrase, Katharine and enjoy the rest of your honeymoon!
Hi Shirls,
who can resist Olivia with a plea like that. Cull that wardrobe Shirls, you will feel a whole lot better for it!
Colleen,
Love Olivia! Perfekt tie-in for this post. I will declutter to Olivia’s tune using these words…’if I loved you I would know, since I don’t, ya gotta go. Why the heeeeccckk did I ever buy ya? I don’t know, I had to try-ya…’
And thanks to 365LessThings I’ve learned not to BUY-YA!!!!
Hi Annabelle,
I think you have been missing your calling. You are a lyricist at heart, start writing girl you could make a fortune with that talent. You have made my day and it’s only 7:05am.
Somewhat related, my son learned to let go of some stuffed animals this week. Only 10, but quite an achievement for him!
(He’s 3 1/2.)
Hi Lynn,
well done him. It is good to involve the kids in the declutter process. They learn that you can’t keep everything forever if you want to live in an organised space. It is especially a good lesson if we teach them to donate the items to another child who might otherwise go without.
I plan to do some serious letting go this weekend! I’m grateful for a long weekend and have plans to really get some things out of the house and ready for the garage sale. I’ve even started decluttering myself! I usually like a few chunky bangles/bracelets but have decided I’m over them as well so while I won’t actually get rid of them (and they don’t take up much room) I feel better being personally decluttered!
Thank you, Colleen, that song was a lovely mood setter. I always enjoyed Olivia’s songs. And … I’ve already today cleared a major box of clutter from the library/lounge upstairs, and repacked a box of books to go, and a large box of Hospice shop supplies (and it is only 10.45 a.m.) – go me!
Hi Ann,
I agree, Go You! That’s your ten minutes plus taken care of today. Time to rest up now with a cuppa.
I haven’t decluttered anything today except some ingredients out of the fridge and pantry because I am making some mini lemon meringue pies for a high-tea I am going to this afternoon. The shells and filling are made and I will put them together after lunch.
Oh so true… last weekend finally put some 30 year old aspirational clutter on eBay (yes, 30 long years I’ve been holding on to it) and this morning someone put a bid on it. What a relief to set it (and myself) free at last..
Hi Calicoginger,
share with me the auction number so I can see what it is. Good luck I hope there are a couple of watchers who get in a last minute bidding war. Cha Ching!
150666991480 – don’t laugh at me please. You see I was going to put it over the sideboard in the formal dining room in my Edwardian villa that I would buy and restore with my life’s soul mate. Yes, you guessed it. No sideboard, no dining room, no Edwardian villa – restored or otherwise, no life’s soul mate. Do I care? No, I’ve never been happier. Goodbye tapestry, hope someone has fun with you!
Hi Calicoginger,
there was a lot of work put into that, I hope the new owner finishes and loves it. I am glad you are happy with your life just the way it is. That is as it should be.
Today’s mini mission destash was my collection of vintage bedding and linens. I collected these items over the past couple of years with no intended purpose, nor did they ever rear their faces around our house! I had envisioned a cozy old farmhouse with vintage bedding and linens in every room while I bought them, but I live
In a single ‘bedroom’ (it’s a loft) log cabin with a man who prefers his linens white.
Goodbye floral bedding and tablecloths, I hope you find your farmhouse
Well done Sarah-Mae that must have been a big move for you.
This reminds me of how my husband and I made a pact when we were first married that there would never be any floral linel in our bedroom.
I’m trying a new habit – when I get the urge to eat when not hungry, I go and find something to declutter instead.
Talk about win-win!
Hi Jess,
now you are decluttering stuff and body weight at the same time. That certainly is win win.
Ugh! I have a sad romance with my clothes. Until recently I haven’t gotten rid of anything since before college. Since my second baby is due at Christmas I know many of those things are not only inappropriate for a stay-at-home-mommie but they definitely don’t fit any more since nursing has left me, um, better endowed than my college days. I hate that all those clothes were sitting in a box when someone could be wearing them! I’m starting Project 333 this week and I hope that it will help me get serious about my clothes; not so much about what I choose to keep or to give away, but in what I choose to add.
Hi Bergen and welcome to 365 Less Things. Thanks for dropping in to leave a comment, I hope we hear from you often in the future.
Gosh I wish I had your problem of my clothes not fitting because having kids left me better endowed. I was flat to begin with and maybe even flatter afterward but the one advantage is that at 46 years old they are still up where they belong not slagging down to my waste. So it seems that every cloud does have a sliver lining. Anyway back to the topic. I wish you luck in your endeavour to weed out and pass on what isn’t appropriate for you anymore and hope sincerely that the 333 project does help to teach you how to choose wisely in the future.
I found a great link and clothing I am going to include in next week’s Friday’s favourite five, so tray tuned.
Thanks for the warm welcome, Colleen. I’ve been reading for the last month or so; even went back and caught up on your journey from the beginning. You are quite the inspiration to me and I love how down to earth your writing is, even when dealing with as heady topics as overcoming asperstional clutter.
We are in the last stages of building, by hand, the house that my husband and I designed. It’s not a tiny house, in fact it’s a far cry from the tiny flats of our last five years, but I want to continue small house living in our larger space. This is a point that I’m having a hard time getting friends and family to understand ( “but now you have room for all those books and more” ) so it’s refreshing to find some comraderie on your blog.
Hi Bergen,
I am nothing if not down to earth that’s for sure. I am always amazed when people go all the way back to the beginning of my blog and read back through. Thank you for taking the time to do that. If you feel inclined to comment on any of those old post go right ahead. I get notified of all comments so I will be here to respond.
I would love to have a home of my own design or at least one that perfectly fits what I need. Actually the house I am in isn’t bad but to be able to make it just right would be great. I don’t think however that I have the patience to go through a build. There are many people who don’t undertand the desire for a more minimalist look to a home but good luck to them if they want the hassel cleaning the other option. I know what I prefer.
I just wanted to thank you for the inspiration you have given me. From the inspiration you have given me, I have give inspiration to my friends … I think they are getting sick of hearing how much I love your blog.
Since hearing about your blog, I’ve been decluttering a room a week (I’m only onto my 4th room) and am already seeing huge results in myself, my kids and my husband, who has even started to declutter his workshop!
I’m also not tempted to buy anything and have started re-using items from around the house in different ways.
Thanks again.
Rebecca
Hi Rebecca,
welcome to 365 Less Things and thank you so much for sharing the story of your decluttering progress with us. I am very pleased that my influence on you is in turn, through your influence, having a positive impact on your family and perhaps even your friends. Good for you! I am also very pleased that you are changing your shopping habits and utilising what you already have rather than rushing out to buy new. One more small battle won against rampant consumerism. I love it!
Keep up the good work Rebecca and please keep updating us on your progress. We all love to hear about the successes of all our readers, or as we consider you, community members. If you ever have any questions or need individual helpful advice we are more than happy to try to assist.