September 17th, 2007
What Do You Hang On To All These Years?
I recently had a real “eye opening” experience. Many women in midlife can relate to this type of experience.
To give some background, I was expecting to have an overnight guest, so I was doing some deep cleaning in the bathroom that she would be using. I decided to clean out the medicine cabinets and the cabinets under the sink. This was a bathroom that I don’t use very often, but the cabinets are packed tightly!
There was so much to go through, and I ended up throwing the stuff out! There were many things that belonged to my daughters, and I hate to tell you how long ago either of them lived at home! I figured all of that stuff was outdated and expired, so I tossed all of it without much thought. I came across contact lenses that I never opened, old bottles of nail polish, and many more things that were just taking up space! I think professional organizers call this prime real estate.
I emptied the cabinets out so that I was able to then place bits and pieces from my bathroom into the newly decluttered bathroom. These are items that I need, such as cleaning supplies, extra makeup, hair supplies, and other belongings like that. I do not use these on a daily basis and those things can be safely kept and better yet organized in this extra bathroom. It is just too much to keep everything in the tiny bathroom I use on a daily basis.
Before you say, what does this have to do with Midlife, let me explain.
The lesson I learned from my bathroom is that I was keeping old stuff around me just because it was there! There was no reason to hold on other than just plain habit and not thinking it through, or not thinking at all!
What else is lurking around me and my environment, taking up space and energy just because at one time it was necessary? I have already done this with drawers and closets, but I think I will next tackle my garage!
My life and goals have changed so that what I used to need to surround me in the past no longer matters or helps me now in the present. Is this whole idea a metaphor for other areas of my life as well?
What are you hanging on to after all these years? When is it time to let go?
Until next week,
Lorraine
