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Out with the old!



This past week, I finished a long overdue project.  I sorted and tossed two file cabinets full of old paperwork.  It was a big job that had been lurking in the basement, haunting me.
I started weeding through it one day when I had a hour or so.  The short timeframe was a great way to get started.  It created an urgency that kept me from hemming and hawing over whether to throw or keep.
I had to get realistic.
With every piece of paper, every file, I asked myself if this was something unique and irreplaceable or whether it could be found in another resource if I ever needed it.  The answer to almost all of it was that it wasn't unique and yes I could find something similar if I needed it in the future.  So, after a couple of days of work, I ended up creating a full recycling bin of paperwork that left my house on Friday!
As with any project in this house, one thing leads to another and soon I had moved onto other files, other piles, other stacks of unfinished business.  Piles of papers and artwork from the kids; projects that had waited so long that they might as well be trashed or handed off to someone else.
I finished the day with a clean floor, space in a closet, and two empty file cabinets!
Afterward, I took Fischer out for a walk and the peace and clarity that came was overwhelming.  I felt renewed!  I couldn't believe the faith that had come with the purge.
With each decision to give away or get rid of, I gained trust and acceptance.  I could trust that I would  be able to find the resources that I need for whatever comes in my future.  I don't have to hold on to outdated stuff.  The papers were significant to a part of my life that made me who I am, but they were out-of-touch with my current life.
It was a relief to have the extra stuff gone.  An exhale.
I still had piles to donate or sell in the basement, but I created a deadline for when they will be taken care of and I am sticking to it.
The open space feels good.  It feels good to actually know what is in a room, a closet, filling the shelf.  It feels good to know that we can get by with less.  It feels good to trust.
As I walked today, I was again reflecting on the process of shedding the old.  I noticed the trees losing their leaves and I thought about my experience of purging.  The trees trust that they can let go of their beautiful color and that they will be full again next year.  It is the way of the world.
It feels light and easy when you trust that whatever you need will be available when you need it.
I hope I can remember this each time I bring something new into my home.  I want my home to be full of things that matter, things that I love, and things that help create the lifestyle that we desire.  If something comes in and then starts to gather dust, it is time to check if it has outworn it's welcome!

Are there things in your space that you have outgrown and just need to let go of?

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