Making space for what matters

If you’ve ever been to my house, more specifically, my office or my closet, you know that organization is not my strong suit.  I don’t want to see dust, but a pile of papers?  No problem.  I simply wasn’t born with the innate desire to organize chaos.  So I work hard at keeping all the common areas straightened up because, well, Scott.

But spaces that belong to me are a little more “free-flowing” if you know what I mean. 

We’re currently in a season of home transition.  Since we’re building a house, we have the privilege of extended packing time.  Our new weekend mantra is that everyone must pack a box to keep and pack a box to give.  (Quite honestly, that’s not going as smoothly as it sounds, but it’s a start!)  Little by little, I’m making my way through the house.

I’m purging all the things like my whole life depends on it. 

Last weekend, it became evident that somehow in our fourteen years here, I’ve neglected to EVER purge my spice cabinet.  Ever.  Not only was it full to overflowing, there were spices in there I swear, I’ve never even seen before.  Oh, and why has no one told me I had cute little shelves buried in there?  I found spices from 2002!  That means they were packed and moved here, already expired.  It was bad.  You might have seen me on hoarders.  I wish I had taken a before and after pic, but nonetheless, here’s the after. . . an entire kitchen trash bag of expired spices, after!  (Go ahead, make note of the fact that this is ALL my spices which makes it painfully obvious there’s not a lot of scratch cooking going on around here.) But let me just tell you, it feels good.

It feels really good.

Even the kids are thrilled.  With the pantry and the cabinets all purged, it’s like a whole different kitchen now.   We’re all feeling a sense of a little more space.  It’s easier to find what we’re looking for.  Because everything has it’s space, when something needs to be replenished, it’s much more obvious.  This whole experience is helping me see “purging” in a whole new light.  It’s less about getting rid of the things that don’t serve you.

It’s more about making space for what does. 

Experiencing it that way is making it easier and easier to purge each room.  And of course, it aligns with the intentional purging that is also happening in my life.  I’m noticing other parts of my life that I’ve let get overcrowded.  Areas where things, situations, and people no longer fit, but I’ve been ignoring the mess, even holding on to the mess, because I’ve been afraid of letting go. My space shelves are reminding me.

It’s okay to let go. 

It’s good to let go.  If I want more space for the things, situations and people who matter most to me, I simply must let go.

So must you.  

Think about that this weekend.  Try packing two proverbial boxes.  One to keep and one to let go.  Trust me.

It feels really good. 

Make more space for what matters.

to more love,

Crystal

Now what to do about my closet  . . . and my office. . .

(This is the exactly kind of table we are setting for the “March Made Simple GNO” on the first of March!  Of course, we’re learning to decorate beautiful cookies, but Rachel is sharing her story about how creating a more simple life makes more space for the things that matter most.)