If you’re a client of mine (hey there Chickadee) or have been following the blog (thanks for reading), you know that I’m on a mission to simplify my life. I’m happy to announce that the Great Closet Clean Out took place this past Saturday. Big thanks to Brene Brown and Russ Roberts (yes, I find Economics strangely fascinating). Their podcasts kept my mind busy while I worked away.
The idea of decluttering and simplifying has been on my radar ever since I was laid up on the couch after foot surgery last fall. Seems I wasn’t too happy about getting my picture taken on this particular day. The Vicodin must of brought out my inner Jersey Girl. Hey, you lookin’ at me?!
Point is, I found myself with the gift of time and hours to spend reading each day. I fell in love with a blog called Zen Habits and it got me thinking.
Fast forward to July of 2012 when I decided it was time to finally take action. Confession: I can get a little too caught up in researching and planning.
While, I’ve made lots of progress, the closet clean out kept getting pushed back. Here’s the the before photo. Now you know why I was procrastinating.
Ten+ years of clothes, shoe boxes, bedding and files (yes, I keep a filing cabinet in my closet). I took a deep breath and decide to start with my shoes. Why not?
A task this monumental can tend to overwhelm. I repeated the same sentences over and over in my mind – One step at a time. Take your time. This isn’t a race. Breathe.
At the end of the day I had four huge bags of garbage (lots of busted boxes, old files, gnarly tank tops, beat up flip flops and socks without partners).
Piles of clothes for Goodwill.
And some items worth dropping off at the consignment store.
But I just couldn’t seem to part with this little gem I picked up while visiting The Very Large Array near Socorro, New Mexico. Even though I’ve never worn it.
I spent the rest of the day walking in and out of the closet – relishing in my success and ability to enter without feeling suffocated. Like an artist admiring their work. I was SO VERY PROUD.
So what does cleaning out your closet have to do with weight loss? I’m so glad you asked. I wrote this post on Facebook a few days ago.
It’s that simple. Once the closet clean out was complete, I have to admit, I felt physically lighter and more in tune with my body.
So what’s next?
Well, I’m continuing down this path for sure. The car. The basement. Less spending. More saying no to things that waste my time and keep me from achieving my goals.
I’ve even been daydreaming of a smaller home on several acres of land. We’ll see.
If you’re interested in simplifying, I have a few recommendations. First, check out Leo Babauta’s blog Zen Habits. Read through his Beginner’s Guide. If you’re compelled to explore this topic further, check out some of these great books:
Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?
Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui (haven’t read this yet, but I hear it’s great)
I’ll continue to blog about my progress here on the website. What seemed at first like an insurmountable task (simplifying my life, not just cleaning the closet) is looking more and more achievable with each small success. Just like losing weight.
Try not to focus on the total number of pounds you want to lose or how out of shape you are. Pick one small thing and start working on it. Replace your morning donut with whole grain toast and little natural peanut butter or a hot bowl of oatmeal. Go for a 15 minute walk instead of sitting down to watch TV. Buy a healthy cookbook or a new pair a running shoes.
When we achieve small successes we build confidence and feel good about ourselves. And that is exactly what moves us one step closer to our ultimate goal.