If you feel a need for a simpler life, look for the drawer (closet, room, basement, or garage) that cries out to be straightened and straighten it! If the task is overwhelming, start small. Make piles labeled Throw Away, Give Away, or Keep. Before you add anything to the Keep pile, ask yourself when you last used the item or “do I really need this?” If the job is too big for you, ask for help from a trusted friend. Often our messes leave us feeling ashamed or paralyzed, but we become too proud to ask for help and the situation worsens.
Go deeper: In your journal make a list of things in your home that, while serviceable, you no longer need. Find someone who needs them and give them away (or arrange to have them taken to The Thrifty Penny). Write down your feelings about how much stuff you have…do you measure your happiness by how much you own?
