Decluttering: Change Your Thinking/Change Your Life :: A Journey To Sparking Joy
I am so glad you are here today. It's the day I share with you something that has been a struggle for me for most of my life - and an answer to that struggle. I'm talking about clutter. My story is pretty straightforward. I really enjoy cleaning. It's one of those things in life that yields immediate results but I found despite my best efforts and the fact that everything was clean there were strays. Things that had no place to go so they went into the garage, or stuffed into a drawer or closet or under the bed. That, on the surface, may not sound like something to consider a struggle but it has always nagged at me. I would make plans to build something, paint something, bake something, sew something, etc., but before I let myself have that fun time, I would stop myself because I had to clean...I had to organize my chaos, wrangle my clutter, and get a hold of things. The problem is bigger than it sounds. It's a problem with the way I think. The clutter keeps me from fully living because it's always there. It was something that I had prayed about for a few years now not because it's anything earth shattering but because it caused me so much anxiety. I would clean and purge and repeat the cycle but I never had order. It was somehow always evading me but...and this is a really great BUT...a few weeks ago I read a post by Jamie at Anderson & Grant about a book she was reading. I read the post....thought it sounded awesome, but moved on. Then, Jamie emailed me and asked if I wanted to be a part of a series about Sparking Joy based on the book. I thought that this may finally be the answer I was looking (and praying for) so I jumped at the chance and I am so glad that I did.
[Tweet "When you put your house in order, you put your affairs and your past in order, too. Marie Kondo #SparkingJoy"]
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I bought the book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, and started reading it. Shortly after starting something in my head finally clicked and I am changing. The holidays this year will be filled with more joy and I am actually looking forward to entertaining instead of dreading it. I have only just started (I'm 11 days into it) and I have more to go but I will share every week the progress I'm making and the changes I've noticed.
I hope you'll join me as well as the ladies below every Sunday now through November 1st as we share our journey to Sparking Joy. We'll share our own tips as well as tips from the book that inspired it all and I'll personally be sharing how this journey is changing my life.
A Journey to Sparking Joy:
Anderson & Grant :: Making it in the Mountains :: DIY Passion :: Dwelling in Happiness :: Zevy Joy :: (Me) Cupcakes & Crinoline :: Lost in the Found :: The Happy Housie
If any of what I have shared makes sense to you please let me know in the comments below or via email (cupcakes and crinoline at gmail dot com) - I truly hop you join me for this journey and that you are inspired and changed for the better.
Every word you wrote my friend felt directed to me! In fact, I too wrote about my anxiety in trying to keep everything in my home neat and tidy!!! But, those extras, the ones that don't REALLY have a place nag at me too. I find myself moving them around my home often as I try to find the right spot for everything to live - funny how my cleaning tasks take me ten times as long as they should because I always seem to finding a zillion other organizing tasks along the way! Sounds like this book will be a game changer for us both Mary Beth!!!
Oh! I get it!! Everything you are saying. About the random leftovers that you aren't sure where to put. Sometimes I just throw those things out and I get such a sense of joy from it! So that's how I know this whole journey really is about sparking joy. Looking forward to taking this journey with you!
With all the things in my life that I cannot control... having order in my space helps to usher in peace. I know God's peace is always with us... clutter or chaos or not. But, we who are visual people need to have order. That too I think comes from God as he is a God of order as well as peace. I'm so happy that you found a tool that will help you, Mary Beth. Those feelings that you struggle through... to have those lifted is amazing. It's truly exciting. I'll be looking forward to your updates.
Wishing you JOY!! [hugs]
Thank you, Diane! It is good to have order and peace and that is definitely from our Father. I'm happy to be moving another area of my life on to that path.
hugs, mb
so true after our house flooded in2014 I found how much unnecessary stuff I had.Got rid of alot and then more putting stuff back after moving back in.I have more to go thru this year.It feels good to give stuff away.Wish I could get my husband and daughter to do some.
I am so sorry to hear about your house flooding, Debbie. 🙁 It does feel good to give stuff away! A few weeks ago (before I read the book or started the tour) my husband and I started cleaning out our garage. We had so much that we just didn't use - chain saws, pool pumps (the pool is gone), tools, strollers, and more, we put it all in a huge box at the end of our driveway with a sign that said, free. So many people stopped and were thrilled to take the items and a few even knocked on our door to make sure we were just giving it away. It made us feel good to help others especially since we weren't even using the items and they were being wasted.
I'm so happy that you decided to join in this series! I have a feeling that we are on the same page when it comes to our views on cleaning and decluttering!
Thanks for asking me, Jamie! 🙂
I can totally relate!! Our guest room is a total mess of just stuff being put in there because I don't know where else to put it. It's awful! I'm a clean freak and I'm so ready to get our life in order and decluttered. Looking forward to this journey! 🙂
I'm ready, too, Amanda, and so glad I'm not in this alone!
What an amazing journey this is going to be! When I started my decluttering under my bed was filled with boxes and so much stuff. I now have it down to just a handful of things. It is feeling great! Can't wait to hear about how you transform your spaces. 🙂
The part you wrote that really spoke to me and why I am on this journey with you guys is "I would make plans to build something, paint something, bake something, sew something, etc., but before I let myself have that fun time, I would stop myself because I had to clean…I had to organize my chaos, wrangle my clutter, and get a hold of things. " That's me. I feel like all of the creative things I want to do get put on hold because I need to get my house in order first (and I'm sure to others my house is just fine), before I allow myself to do those things. That's sad! I've basically put myself on hold.... No more! It's not necessarily the quantity of things in the house, but just the feeling you get from what you have. Excited to see where this goes!
Oh, Beth! I so loved reading your comment. You are right, we are putting our lives on hold and it is so unnecessary. I still have a long way to go; I just made another trip to the thrift store today with a HUGE load of books and kitchen items but I have so much more to go. I am thrilled you are taking this journey with us and I look forward to any updates you'd like to share concerning your progress. 🙂