Tag: Spring Cleaning

My Everything Box

I have a little box that I have had for many years. It houses the most random things. Inside are a bunch of papers and a few photos that didn’t make it into albums. This box has receipts, pictures, medical information, and copies of bills.

I try to clean this box out every year so that it doesn’t accumulate, however, it’s been almost three years since I have done so. The box was starting to overflow and yesterday, I knew it was time for some spring cleaning.

Thoughts

I pulled out everything in my box and started going through each of the contents one by one. I made three piles. One to shred, one pile for trash, and one pile to put back into my box. As I was going through everything, I ended up coming across a few surprises. I found my learner’s permit when I was first learning how to drive. This was decades ago! I also found an award that I had gotten at my old job. As I kept looking, I found some paperwork for past surgeries and medical tests that I have had, it made me emotional seeing all of these things at once.

I held onto the important and special things, and I put aside any bill stubs, etc. that were a year old for shredding. My heart was feeling heavy. I have a habit of holding onto things that I don’t need. I always think, “what if I need this one day?” I haven’t needed anything yet, it doesn’t mean that I won’t, but the odds are small! This is why I will start to minimalize what I put into my everything box.

All Done!

Once I was finished with the task, I felt so much lighter. The box was 1/3 as full as it was before, and it felt great to get organized and cleaned out. Clutter in our lives affects us mentally. It is great to do a little spring cleaning now and then. This can be true of life itself.

Holding onto things makes us feel safe, but it can also make us feel weighed down. Letting go is hard to do, but it can make room for new things and make us feel free!

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No Longer Vital

Being surrounded by water was essential to our survival when we were in the womb. From the second that we were born, we needed air to live. Life changes so much and what is vital to us in one moment may no longer be in another.

It is important to remember that sometimes we create habits as we go along in life. At one point they served us, but they may not always. Now and then I find it to be a good idea to evaluate the many areas of your life and see what is working for you and what is no longer vital.

How Life Changes

As we go through life, we have different wants and needs. Sometimes these needs change and sometimes not, or the degree to which we need them changes.

Maybe you went through a phase where you wanted to be surrounded by people, but now you need to enjoy your own company and take some time for self-reflection. Maybe at one point working two jobs was vital to your well-being and finances, but now you are more financially comfortable, and resting from all of your hard work is the most important.

I am currently doing some spring cleaning of my life. I am shedding parts of me that no longer serve me, I am making changes to things that bother me, or make me unhappy. It feels great, even though some of the changes are very small. Any progress towards a goal is a huge motivator.

The Importance

Evaluating and reflecting on life is very important, especially if you feel like there is an area or more that you are not happy with. We are constantly changing and growing as individuals, and we should try to align our lives as closely to our sense of ideal as possible.

By ridding parts of your life or habits that no longer have a positive effect on you, there is room for the most important things. We are ever evolving and any changes that we can make to our lives no matter how small can help us live a little easier and happier!

I invite you to examine your life and take a look at the areas that you feel could be improved. How can you make a difference in these areas? What can you do to live a fuller life? Are there parts of you that you can shed to allow for more growth? Feel free to share if you would like!