First a quick update:

I have recently come back from a 2 week vacation and so my reading has fallen behind a little, but I’m still reading and even got some reading in during my vacay. But also, I know that certain things in my life are going to be changing…drastically. So, I’m trying change my current lifestyle to better fit my up and coming one. What that means is…I’m going to go down a more simpler path.

Now for some background:

For those who know me, they know that I am a big tech head and a sneaker head…and a have ton of short lived hobbies….and I collect vinyl toys…and…many many more “ands.” So, with that being said, I have a ton of crap! Crap that I payed for and in some cases, continue to pay for. Plus, up until very recently, I still continue to pile on the crap. Well, all the crap needs to stop! To help me out, I started listening to a podcast called The Minimalists (I recommend).

What I’ve been doing:

Last weekend I started to “purge.” My first step was to post my sneakers online put them up for sale. Since writing this post, I’ve already sold 2 pairs! This weekend, as I write this, I took multiple trips to Goodwill to drop off clothes, old fan, cell phone cases, and other various items. One of the benefits of getting rid of things is the ease of organizing. You do it the same time as you’re getting rid of things AND there’s less stuff to organize.

My feelings:

One of the hardest things throughout this process is letting go of the memories and all of that sentimental value that goes into all your stuff and things that you’ve collected and hoarded over the years. Back in the day, when I first collected all those things, technology was a bit limited. Now, I have my cell phone camera and I can just take a picture of all those things that bring me joy (old letters, pictures, awards, etc). Lastly, what else I’ve been getting rid of is a ton of paper….I’ve been shredding all day long.

Despite all the tireless cleaning (when you have so much junk!), my spirits are way up and I feel so much better mentally. I think that when you try and minimize the “things” you own, you realize what “things” matter the most and bring you joy.

Side note: I’m currently reading Ready Player One by Ernest Cline (cheating a little, it’s an audio book) and the life-changing magic of tidying up by Marie Kondo (an actual book).