Reflection & Action: Old files. Outdated products. Obsolete references. Unfashionable clothes. Petty grievances. Waning interests. Hopeless relationships.

Sometimes we just need to lighten up and clear the clutter from our lives so that we can see the way forward.

Pursuits we once enjoyed may, at some point, turn into clutter. Picture the hobbies that once consumed your interest and fueled your enthusiasm – photography, gardening, biking. You’ve amassed all the tools, equipment and supplies; and there they sit, inducing guilt – lonely, abandoned, taking up space. Where once you couldn’t get enough of the fun, now it feels like just one more thing that you should be doing.

Free stuff – samples, magazines, hand me downs – pile up, too. Just because something is free doesn’t mean you have to take advantage of the offer or hang on to it forever.

If you’ve outgrown it, move on. Sell the supplies or give the tools to someone who values them, but get them out of your way.

As sad as it may be, sometimes we need to unclutter our web of relationships as well. Some relationships are more infuriating than enhancing. Needs change. Shared interests disappear. Circumstances shift. Distance grows. Appreciate those connections for the ways they enriched your life in the past, and move on.

In the vacuum, new interests, new directions, new relationships will appear. Opportunities will arise. Your enthusiasm will grow.

Quote: “Getting the clutter out of your life can and will rid you of more discouragement, tiredness and boredom than anything else you can do.” – Don Aslett

Resource Of The Week: Need to slim down on the clutter front? Check out Lorie Marrer’s online services and inspiration at the Clutter Diet Website.

Lorie delivers great resources with a lighthearted approach to the task of dejunking and streamlining the world.

Readers Write:

Lisa A. writes:  I eliminated one ‘black cloud’ today.  It was the stacks of papers, file folders, and other documents that crowded my work area.  I took one hour today to file, recycle, and forward this mountain of paper that just kept piling up.  I’m looking forward to spending less time digging and searching for things.

Laurie P. writes: In the mid 1990’s I sold everything I had and moved into a two room hotel suite.  I lived there for eighteen months. I cooked all my meals in a toaster oven and microwave. I learned how to play and have fun. I always had time for my friends and children. Everyone loved to come and visit.  They would stay for hours at a time because I always had time for them.  They loved to be where everything was at a minimum.

Reminder:

During the months of July and August, your weekly Pause blog postings will feature the ‘Best of Pause’. These are readers’ favorite messages from the earlier years of the Pause e-zine. Featuring these Pause Gems will give me a bit of a breather, and also introduce our newer subscribers to some of those early gems.

Whether you are a long time subscriber, or new to our list, I sincerely hope you enjoy these messages. Come September, your messages will once again feature all new info and resources.