The Freeing Part Of {Small} Purging

I'm a big, huge fan of purging.  I like purging on a big scale and on a small scale.  There are so many pros to it.  First of all, it gets rid of excess, and no one likes excess.  Second, it means someone else gets the stuff (thrift store shopper, friend, etc.).  Third, it keeps things looking nice and tidy, and let's face it, tidy is a good thing.  Fourth, the clutter stops weighing us down, and that is my favorite one!  For me, it feels so good to get rid of stuff.  {I've been known to compare it to a good counseling session.}

There was an article in Real Simple a while ago written by a counselor or life coach or something.  She said that she advises a lot of her clients who are feeling overwhelmed to go home and get rid five things.  Five things that need to be discarded.  Something about the process is helpful.  I wish I could remember the science and reasoning behind it, but I don't.  What I do know is the feeling that I get when I clean something out, discarding the un-needed, un-used, un-wanted excess in my life.  

This morning, I had to bleach the spice/canned food cabinet because of ants.  I threw away old, expired spices and canned goods-including a can of chopped spinach that my brother bought the first time he lived with us.  Two years ago.

I felt so empowered by that little job that I moved onto our tiny coffee cabinet, then to our larger cabinet where we keep all of our mugs.  We are rich in mugs but poor in space, so I purged our excess mugs right to goodwill and one to my sister-in-law.  It felt good.  My whole house hasn't been cleaned out, but I definitely feel a sense of calm when I go to the cabinets, and I wanted to encourage everyone out there who is feeling overwhelmed by clutter.  Start small.  The pile of tank tops.  Old magazines.  That random stack of papers.  The junk drawer.  It's all small steps to a bigger goal.

Sort of like running.  No matter how slow you go, it's still faster than if I was on the couch.  

It's all progress towards a bigger goal.  And progress always beats stagnant every time.