Debt and Clutter

I feel like the two are more connected than I realize. I haven’t done any real research on it so please don’t take this as fact but merely my own insights on the matter. I shared in this post here, that I decluttered my bookshelf and found almost $60 worth of used books to sell on Amazon. Quick update: I’ve made $35.15 off the books I posted on Amazon. I’m just $23.06 away from my estimated earnings and I think I might hit that goal by the end of the summer. Anyway after decluttering my bookshelf I felt great as well as it looked great. There was more room on the shelf and it looked cleaner and sleeker. I guess as sleek as books could look.

I have known for a while that I needed to declutter my apartment. And by a while I mean more than 5 years. Yikes! I know I’m really bad especially since I had a conviction about it 5 years ago and have been working ridiculously slow at actually making it happen.  As I find myself shedding excess expenses I am more inspired to shed excess stuff. I know for a fact that I have too many clothes. I have been blessed with awesome women in my life who give and buy me clothes all the time and so I rarely have to go shopping but since I’ve lost weight this year most of my clothing does not fit me so it’s time to pass on the good stuff, throw out the bad and stop tricking myself into thinking I need to keep stuff for sentimental reasons.

I’m the queen of saving. I wish I were the queen of saving money but unfortunately it is stuff. I save everything. I still have the program from my school plays and my journals from high school and college. Which I don’t think I’ll part with those but then there are the birthday cards, bridal shower cards, wedding cards, anniversary card, get well cards, just because cards and valentine’s cards (only from my hubby). I just can’t seem to part with them. I want to keep them but the truth is I don’t have the space. I don’t have the room. We have a 2 bedroom apartment but there’s not a ton of storage space at all. I’ve known this since I moved in a few years ago but I didn’t have nearly as much stuff then. Over the last 5 years I have accumulated enough to fill a small home and it’s with this realization that I am de-cluttering this holiday weekend. I really don’t need the stuff. I don’t want some of the stuff but sometimes it's just hard to let go.

I am looking to try the Kondi Mari method for organizing and decluttering. I've watched a few YouTube videos on the process and it seems really freeing. I haven’t read the book but from what I’ve seen it’s based on feelings…sort of. One step I saw Organized Jen do, is she put all her clothes in one pile in the center of the room. She took everything out of the drawers, closet, shelves, etc. and she just stacked it in a pile in the middle of her bedroom. It was a big pile but I’m sure mine will be just as big. And the next step I think was the key to it all. Instead of deciding to keep things based on need it was done based on want. If shed picked something up and there was no excited or happy or positive responsive then it was either trashed or put in a pile for donations. You’re not supposed to try anything on but I think she said she broke that rule. All in all it was really eye opening. In the end her closet and drawers looked very clean and organized even though her closet and drawers were pretty organized before since that’s what she does for a living. I plan to document the process and share with you guys. Let me know if you feel that debt and clutter are connected and what your plans are for the weekend. I’d love to hear from you and as always thanks for reading.