Uncluttered

I decided that one of my goals this year was to unclutter and the earthquake last November was one of the things that helped to spark that decision. I have been working on this off and on for several years, randomly, but this year I really mean to stick to it and to assist with that goal I signed up for an online class called Uncluttered.  They hold the class about three times a year and it lasts for about twelve weeks.

I have read about the Art of Swedish Death Cleaning or Hygge, and Marie Kondo's Magic Art of Tidying Up along with multiple other books related to decluttering and that gets me motivated for a week or two, but I don't seem to stick with it. I have gone through my clothes, and through my spices, and the pantry, but then I seem to fizzle out.

I signed up for this class along with an online quilting buddy so that we can encourage each other to shed or purge things we do not need.

I have done some since the earthquake as I had to clear off and move some shelves to clean up broken glass and for Tom to repair the seam that split in the corner from the jolting of the earthquake. In starting to put things back on the shelves I have been cleaning and clearing out books and such that we do not need or do not want. It is still ongoing progress as I have also been subbing and we were gone for two weeks in December, plus it took Tom a while to finish the repair. We are also going to pull everything down and paint the living room this summer, so I will probably get rid of more at that time.

The first assignment was to answer three questions related to your goal. I have been doing some thinking about my answers to the questions and I believe I have finally come up with my answers to declare my why. The questions ask you to think about what benefits you, what you look forward to, and what kind of example you want to set for others.  Lastly, you need to state why you want to own less.

I am feeling overwhelmed by all the stuff in the house and feel that by clearing some of it out I will be less stressed and more at peace. It will also mean less stuff is left here when I am gone for others to go through. I want less stress and anxiety, fewer distractions and less chaos.

I want to focus on my quilting and other creative projects and not on stuff. I also want to focus on travel, and family, and my relationship with God. I want more time, peace, contentment, and comfort. I want to be able to create, relax, and feel joy in my space.

I want to set an example for others that less is more and show that we often get weighted down by all our stuff. If we have less we have more freedom in life and can focus our time on other things that are more important to us than on stuff. I want to feel calm and at peace in my home.

I desire to own less because I want to feel free from the stress that occurs when I am overwhelmed by all the things in our home so I can focus on peace, calm, my creative projects, travel, family and my relationship with God.

The next class will be published on Monday, January 21, 2019, and I am looking forward to the information shared and the challenge for the week.