5 Ways To Happily Let Go: My Decluttering List

Spring Cleaning is a timely post. Tis the season to Declutter.

Decluttering is a buzzword these days, but it generally refers to household detritus like knick-knacks, old sweaters, or the kids’ drawings from second grade, and it’s tinged with suffering about relinquishing stuff. We don't all suffer when we toss/give up/rehome.  So, I decided it was time to write about Happily Letting Go.

Happy Decluttering List:

1. I no longer force myself to finish books that I don’t enjoy. I put them down when I've fallen asleep one too many times. It's lucky that I have a terrific library nearby.
   

2. I gave away all my shoes that had heels over 2 inches high (except the blue suede shoes I bought in Amsterdam (photo above), and I'm keeping those until I sprain my ankle. In the future, I plan to embrace ankle-high boots, hiking boots, and sneakers for winter and sandals in summer.
   

3. I sent my leggings, jeggings, smeggings and all other tight pants to my daughter who has a marvelous tush.
   

4. I don’t watch the news unless I want to, and when my stomach starts to hurt, I turn on Midsommer Murders. It's remarkable how they can have 5-7 murders per episode and remain relaxed, even snoozy. Maybe the Brits take their quaint village murders better than we do. Stiff upper lip. We need more quaint villages, fetes, nosey neighbors, and debauched, snooty aristocrats who live in various manor houses on hills who don't mind being regularly shot with arrows, clubbed with fire pokers, and pierced with daggers brought back from the colonel's stint in India.
   

5. I joined a new book club and quit my old one. I'll write more about that event another day, but suffice to say, I never will have to listen to he-who-will-remain-nameless say, and I quote, "Even though I haven't read the book, I think..."
   

Wow, even writing about this feels good. I'll have to let go of more.

Do not declutter your copy of Not The Trip We Planned. It will be worth a fortune one day and, if not, it will make great kindling.