Once upon a time, I found it really hard to let go of stuff that I no longer needed or wanted. I would tell myself that the thing I was holding on to would come in handy at some point. For instance, if my iron box broke, I would buy a new one, but would still keep the faulty one “just in case”, or argue that if the new one stopped functioning, it could be repaired using parts from the old one... I bet that you techies will probably tell me that it doesn’t work this way.
As a result, I had a drawer full of non-functioning electronic items, including laptop and mobile phone chargers which I knew I would never use again but told myself that they might come in handy one day.
It was the same with utensils. If someone dropped a cup and the handle broke, I would still find some use for the cup instead of throwing it away, or keep a cracked plastic basin to use when peeling potatoes or preparing other vegetables. As for well-loved clothes that I wore earlier in life and which no longer fit me, I would hold on to them in the hope that one day, one day, I would surely fit into them, never mind that even if that day came, the clothes would have gone out of fashion. The result of all this hoarding was a house full of things that I no longer used and no longer needed, but because I had attached sentimental value to them, I continued to keep them.
I would realise, years later after I had managed to kick this debilitating habit, that those who find it difficult to let go of material items that have served their purpose also find it difficult to let go of anger, hurt, injustices overtaken by time, and other psychological issues. As a result, such people never seem to move forward in their lives, and will run on the spot until they cast away whatever is holding them back.
Nowadays, I declutter on a whim, I no longer struggle to throw things out or give them away. I may be in the kitchen taking a glass of water and simply open a drawer and begin to declutter, throwing away all the plastic forks and knives that come with restaurant-bought food that some of us like to keep. Or I will open a random wardrobe drawer and start putting aside clothing items that I no longer want. I will then ruthlessly take down clothes that everyone hasn’t worn in a while, and those that don’t fit or are torn and either give them away or throw with the weekly trash. I have found that the more I do this, the easier it has become to get rid of what I don’t need. And in so doing, I create space for new clothes that fit better, and new items that function better.
The benefits of decluttering have been two-fold – a more spacious and tidier home and a decluttered mind. To be more specific, I have acquired the ability to let go of unhappy emotions more easily, rather than allowing them to fester and dominate my thoughts. I have learnt the art of letting go, figuratively and literally. That is my sermon for today, enjoy your Sunday.
