I Love a Good Sort-Out

I think I have spent a good portion of my life dejunking. I seem to attract clutter. I know people who collect things. I have a friend who collects elephants, and another who collects teacups. I, on the other hand collect stuff. I blame it on my pioneer heritage. I hold on to things because I might need them some day.

I started the new year dejunking. It’s quite liberating. I am enjoying letting go of things that no longer serve me. When I finish dejunking a closet or a room, I stand back and admire the clean space I have created. It’s a nice feeling. Then I move on to another messy spot. I have so many messy spots that I will probably spend a good share of 2010 dejunking. Will it ever end?

Like a line I heard once on a Brittish comedy, I love a good sort-out. In my life, I have often found a good sort-out helpful. I enter the closet of my mind and find aging moldy thoughts and attitudes long outgrown or completely worn out, but not discarded. It’s liberating to toss them out, and make space for new ideas, new habits, a new me.

Dejunking my heart is another life-long process. It can be painful, but satisfying. I’m thinking of tossing out fear and making room for trust. Perhaps I’ll throw out anger to make room for love. Maybe I could clear out judgement to make room for joy.

Dejunking is such good therapy that maybe I should try it on my writing. Am I brave enough to look for clutter there? How many words can I afford to keep? How many is too many? Which ones should I toss?

Sometimes it hurts. But only for a little while.

I love a good sort-out.

Linda Garner