I don’t have the bumper sticker, but I am one of those people who brakes for garage sales. Hunting for hidden treasures is something I have always enjoyed. It probably goes back to my roots of wearing thrift store clothes as a kid and how much fun it was to find something I loved.
In more recent years I’ve become more selective about what I buy and often come home empty handed. What I enjoy now is looking and visiting with the people there. My dog Daisy loves to join me on these adventures and is pretty good at soliciting lots of pets and attention.
Recently, the small town I live in had an All Town Garage Sale. It’s a big event and one I often enjoy, but this year felt different. The amount of stuff for sale seemed overwhelming and I wasn’t seeing as many hidden treasures. What I was seeing was lots and lots of clothing. Baby items were plentiful too.
In the end, much of it didn’t sell and ended up piled along the curb, being offered for free. I felt sad about all the left-over stuff. These unwanted things, many still in good condition, that eventually ended up in the trash.
The garage sale experience I usually loved turned into a reminder that we are buying too much, over-consuming and filling our homes with clutter that leaves us feeling like we can’t breathe.
We are stuffocating.
When we accumulate more than we need, we don’t value or care for the things we have the way they deserve. Sometimes they all become a blur and we don’t even remember what we have
We live in a society where things are bought on a whim, taken for granted and then become disposable waste way too early. Death cleaning is a big topic with seniors because we are learning no one will want our things when we no longer need them, even the ones we value. They are meaningless, worthless and become a burden to those who inherit them.
I call it stuffocation for a reason. There is a price for living this way and not just in waste or environmental impact. When we over accumulate we:
- Waste our financial resources and increase our debt
- Feel overwhelmed and have trouble focusing
- Often feel guilty or angry with ourselves
- Spend too much time maintaining our things
- Have to work more or longer to pay for stuff we don’t value
- Negatively impact how well our brains function – a cluttered home creates a cluttered brain
Yes, we are definitely stuffocating, but there is a better way.
You don’t need to become a minimalist to improve your life. Just start with remembering who you are at the core and what you value most in life. Shape your life around that. Be intentional about what you bring into your life and why. And, take a deep look into why you over-consume and how you can change.
When you do, your life will become simpler and more meaningful. You will:
- Feel more peaceful
- Deepen your relationships
- Increase your financial security
- Have more time for fun and meaningful pursuits
- Lead a more balanced life
- Limit waste and environmental impact
I encourage you to check in with yourself about what it would look like to right size your life. Here are a few questions or journaling prompts to consider?
-Where do I have “too much” in my life?
-What is it costing me?
-How does it make me feel?
-What would an intentional, meaningful life look like for me?
-What would I need to change to create that?
-Am I willing? Why?
-How can I make this happen?
-What is the next step that I can take right away to set things in motion?
Related Posts:
Decluttering Questions that Help You Let Go of Stuff
7 Meaningful Benefits of Living Simply