I grew up poor. There were times that we weren’t sure what we’d eat the next day. We went without a lot of things. I think, because of that, I tend to hoard hold onto everything because I’m never sure when I might need it. Our cupboards are way too full. My art/craft supply room cannot hold anything more in it. My closet is a disaster, and I may just have a bit of a “book problem.” So I finally decided that I was going to do something about it. I was going to “purge” in 2015. I was going to de-clutter and tidy up.

I bought the book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo. I started to read it as soon as it arrived and I could tear the box open. It is amazing. About 50 pages in, I put the book down and started to purge things out of my closet. I was so inspired! I got rid of two and a half garbage bags full of clothes, fifty pair of socks, another garbage bag full of shoes, and an overflowing laundry basket of things to take to the consignment shop because a lot of them still had tags on them. By the time I got rid of all of those things, regular life kicked back in and I had twentty-five things on my t0-do list that needed my immediate attention. I set the book aside and planned to get back to reading/purging as soon as possible. And then I lost the book. I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I seriously couldn’t find it. It was lost in a pile of clutter. Wedged between stacks of mail and hastily-printed articles for my grad-school thesis. It was ridiculous. I laughed until I almost cried. I was lucky because I did find the book again, and I’m still inspired, but it was sort of an ironic wake-up call. I’m reading more and planning a weekend where I can spend the entire time focused on purging. I’m even going to rent a truck. As long as I don’t misplace the book again, I’m golden.

In my quest to simplify life, I’ve found some helpful tips along the way.

• If you don’t really love something… if you wouldn’t buy it again at that very moment you are holding it in your hand… if it doesn’t speak to your soul… get rid of it.
• Live with less.
• Appreciate what you have.
• No is an option.
• Unsubscribe from magazines you don’t read, from snail mail that bogs you down, and from email that clutters your inbox (a great resource for this is unroll.me. It is a service that helps reduce your email traffic.)
• Use the library. If you have a “book problem” the library is a wonderful resource that not only lessens the amount of books in your home on a permanent basis, but it also saves you a ton of money in the long run.
• Clutter in your physical surroundings will clutter your mind & spirit. — Kaneisha.com
• A freebie is great if you are really going to use it.

Here are some others:

 

 

 

 

 

The good news is that, as scrabookers, we already collect moments. And hopefully your electronic digital stash is not as out-of-control as mine. I’ve decided that I’m going to de-clutter my EHD(s) and get things under control in my digital world as I am cleaning up my physical world. I’m going to be a little more selective about downloading digital freebies, and I’m going to really put some thought into it before I buy yet another kit with a viewmaster reel in it. (I don’t know how many kits I’ve bought because I have to have the viewmaster reels. LOL.) I’m going to delete kits I have on my EHD from 2004 because I know I will.never.use.them. I’m going to unzip and file my digi kits/elements by designer and store and not let them languish in the “download” or “unzipped” folders. I’m going to focus on the kits I have and also be more discerning about what I buy.  I’m going to simplify.I’m going to de-clutter and stick to purging for 2015. It really will make life easier.

 

My goal is to have a workspace that always looks like this

 

 

Join me in the challenge forum to blow off the dust and shop your stash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

About the Author: Kimberlee is a lover not a fighter; a stay-at-home gran, a poet, and a lifelong learner. She grooves on saturated colors, Tuesday dance parties, optimism, glitter and sunshine. She colors outside the lines.  She is a dreamer. She is a collector of moments.  She is all about the story.  Kimberlee completed her MFA in Creative Writing and is currently working toward a M.Ed. in Instructional Design.