Eliminate vs. Accumulate

Sure, it is fun to buy new magazines, clothes, kitchen gadgets; presents for someone in the future – yet where does accumulating non essentials get us? A big headache is what I’d say. Having too much stuff is really a weight. When we have too many clothes to close the closet, when we have stuffed our desk drawer so full it won’t close or when we have so much stuff that we can’t even keep it in our own home and we must pay for a storage unit – how can we possibly enjoy and appreciate the things we do have? That is just it we can’t. I started a practice in my home. It is basic for every one item in my house, one says good bye. The one-in, one-out, model applies to everything from books, to clothes to gadgets. Additionally, I purge my closets and drawers and donate at least twice each year. It feels really good to know that things I can no longer use will have a new life and serve a purpose for someone else. It makes basic sense though, that if we consistently fill our lives with an accumulation of items and never take time to eliminate, recycle and donate we will bust at the seams. I’ve created another strategy for idle shopping; if I see something I absolutely love and can afford, I buy it, pretty simple. Yet if I see something that I like, but don’t love or I am not absolutely sure that I need it, I put it on hold for a couple of days. If the item is important enough to make a trip back to the store to purchase then likely it is something I should have. If I don’t make back to the store, then great a little space allowed me to make a better decision. I think that is really what this conversation is all about. Creating a little space before you make a quick decision to add more clutter and stuff to your life is an easy way to streamline your choices and postpone making a decision so that you can make the most appropriate decision for you! This week I’ll be writing on simplifying your life in order to simplify your decisions or said another way how simplifying your life can simplify your decisions! Check out other articles on MargaretPundmann.com: Globalized Workplace Integrity - We Are Our Word Connect to me: Margaret Pundmann's LinkedIn.com Profile Margaret Pundmann's MySpace.com Profile