the overwhelming thought of letting go

Creating your clutter free world may not be as daunting as it seems. No superhuman effort is required. After all, it takes years for things to accumulate. And in that light, the idea of making it all disappear over the course of a weekend could justifiably be considered a bit unreasonable.

As we endeavour to simplify our lives, consume less and jettison those things that are needlessly taking up space, we often think of letting go. The thought of letting go, however, can be overwhelming and not very rewarding. And the question becomes, how do we convert thought into action?

There isn’t one answer. We’re all different. That’s why professional insight can be so important. But one small act can make an enormous difference.

In her famous book, On Death and Dying, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross describes the five stages of grief. This won’t be the first time these five stages have been retooled and applied to another area. This is because what Kubler-Ross hit on is so universal. So, with apologies to the originator, here are the Five Stages of decluttering your life.

1. Denial: "It’s okay. I’ll just step over that."
2. Anger: "This shouldn’t be happening to me. I’m special."
3. Bargaining: "If I vacuum and dust it, it’s not really clutter, right?"
4. Depression: "All this stuff is bumming me out. I’m going shopping."
5. Acceptance: "I’m okay. I can simplify my life, then go to yoga."

(Today's entry is from guest blogger, D. Gillis)