Spring cleaning and choosing less

I feel like I should say thank you to Niecy Nash. Many years ago, she introduced me to ideas that changed my home on a TLC show called Clean House.  Before that, I thought I had to keep everything I owned. It was powerful to watch each week as people struggled to let go of their stuff and to see how much better their space became when they did.

Since then, I have continued learning from bloggers like Lorilee Lippincott, Courtney Carver and theminimalists.com.

One of the things about the spring season is that it ignites the need to purge in all of us.  We open windows.  We clean closets.

I started Courtney Carver's Project 333 over two years ago.  The idea is that you live with 33 things in your closet for three months and see how it feels.  Since then, my closet has stayed between 33 to 50 items and each season (about every three months) I craft it for my needs at that time. (Off season items that I love live in a box under the bed.)

The biggest surprise to me is the amount of impact this practice has had on my psyche. I can't imagine ever going back to warehousing stuff I don't use. You see, I learned there is an "energy tax" to things.  They make us tired.

Have I ever given away something I needed later?  Yes. But it happens far less than you think it will and the inconvenience of having to re-buy is well worth the tradeoff I get in my day-to-day life. (And I mean far less...as in I can count the things I needed again on one hand.)

If you are feeling the urge to purge...do it.  But start small and contained. Then maintain it.  One of the beautiful things about the Project 333 experiment is that it is radical enough to create real change, but contained enough to be doable. (You don't have to tackle your whole house.)  Try it out and see if you like it.  Your closet just may become a little piece of zen.