Possession Reduction | The Minimalists Ep. 420 

Good luck!!! You got this. I’m 60 and did the same thing when I moved. I am still doing it. It’s such a process. Feels so wrong getting rid of things. After I do it feels good for a little while and start feeling overwhelmed again and do another round.

I know what you mean. Nothing like an upcoming move to help us declutter with less overthinking, and it's also so much easier. When we have to think of lugging something to a moving truck, or even if you have someone to do all the lifting, it's still a challenge to pack and unpack our belongings. (I moved about 6 years ago, and I got rid of about 40% of everything. I think if it had not be in the process of moving, it would have been much much tougher to let go of stuff). The good news is, even if a person doesn't have an upcoming move, you can play a game, and "act as if" you were about to move. If you look at an item and ask, "do I like this enough to pack it? Not to mention the time it takes to pack things so they won't break, and pack things and write down the contents on the box so you can actually find it while unpacking!

I too look at all the stuff. And how much I spent over the years and as a senior I can see that I missed out on the more important things in life. I regret but I can't turn back the time. I must have spent at least a million dollars Uber my lifetime on buying and selling and purchasing. And you name it and I don't have anything to show for myself. Really no retirement money. But now I realize I have to live each day as it comes and find happiness even though I have a lot of regret for spending and buying things. I wake up every morning. And I try to look outside and see all the things I've never seen while. I was so busy in the store shopping and buying. And so busy thinking that having the nice things would bring me happiness. As crazy as this senior may be I look outside and I see the ravens and the crows and the squirrels and the blue jays. And all the little birds that come into my yard and I feed every one of them. It just makes me feel closer to God. When I realize he's there for us. And he wants us to stop and smell the roses and start to be gratefor what is out there that he has provided For us to enjoy. No material thing will ever get us closer to him. Only prayer and appreciation and gratitude. So even though we may have lost a lot of things and we may not have anything to show. For ourselves at least there is someone who is loyal and won't leave our side. I love the scripture in psalms thirty four and eighteen. And i'm sure we've all gone to some form of unhappiness and broken heart. I'm just speaking to those who have of some form of christian belief. So now instead of buying stuff all the time. I will stop and say to myself. Do I really need this? Or could I spend the money on giving it to somebody that really needs it. Is there a homeless person I could feed. Could I take them for a meal and just talk to them. Everybody needs someone to talk to regardless of who you are. Money will never, ever replace the kindness that you show two others and the compassion that you show to others. If you knew that you would save someone's life, just buy being there for coffee. How would that make you feel. And this time of the year is the most loneliest for those who have no family. The high rate of suicide is terrible around this time of the year. So that's just my take on things. It's a better feeling to know. As you get closer to getting older, you have done good for someone else instead of spending on things that don't really matter.

@@BL-rb7jm thanks for sharing that. I relate to so much of this. 60 years old and so much waste of purchasing and getting rid of. I’ll work until I’m 100. But we can change that and make the last half of our life so much better and free from the burden of things!

I think we should minimise the amount of buying new as well to help the environment. There's so much rubbish everywhere :(

Time stamp?

@@tylerbriggs8765 its on rory n mals latest podcast

Maybe read their book to start ? If you haven’t already. I start with no pressure and letting go on one thing that doesnt bring joy and i dont use then momentum seems to naturally come.

what I've found helpful in my decluttering journey is to take into consideration the amount of energy and time I have after a decluttering session. if you sell something you have to list it, then deal with potential buyers and or pack it, then go to the post office to ship it. I've sold a few things and other things I just get tired of having around or waiting for good weather for a garage sale. sometimes the best thing is just to donate it and call it a day, but everyone's bandwidth is different.

@@abigailnrthis is why I simply donate to charities. In my area there are several charities that’ll come to my doorstep to pick up items. I have donations for them several times a year. It’s really such a convenient way to declutter while also helping others. Selling becomes cumbersome due to all of the steps you’ve mentioned. You have to decide if you want to make money or simply get rid of the items. Once you decide that then you’ll know how to proceed.

The author is Thich Nhat Hanh

@@eztd245 Thank you 🙏

I'm looking too😂😂

I need to know

For who? I watch it fine!

What? His hair is awesome!!