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I don’t know about you, but the beginning of September always feels bittersweet to me.

On one hand, there’s resistance to losing the warm, sunny days of summer and all the freedom that entails. On the other, there’s excitement for the back-to-school energy and focus of autumn. On a deeper level, I can feel in my bones that September 1st is the beginning of a long, slow, but inevitable slide toward the end-of-year holidays.

Instead of launching headlong into fall, this year I’m trying something I’m calling “Indian Summer for the Spirit”. To capture some of the summer insights and growth, I’m reflecting on the following questions:

• What did I learn this summer that I want to keep?
• What do I want to release from this past season?
• What am I open to creating or experiencing this autumn?

Instead of resisting the coming season and hanging on longingly for the passing one, these questions allows me to both prolong what I love about summer, create closure, and welcome the new.

Does this relate to organizing somehow?

You bet. Anything you create in your mind also has physical manifestations (papers, semi-finished projects, etc.). So on a practical level, getting clear about what you want to release means you can let go of some physical stuff along with it. For example, I have had several sticky notes on my computer about topics I want to write about. Well, I’ve written about them. So now I can let them go.

On an energetic level, when you’re clearing out the unwanted, this opens up all kinds of possibilities to you and your business. Closure is a healthy activity. Saying “no” to the things you no longer need helps you become a channel for the divine spark of inspiration and creativity.

Welcoming the new

The second thing that helps remind you of the changing season and welcome the new is to physically change something about your workspace.

Maybe you want to draw or collage images of the good things you’re anticipating for fall and hang it near your monitor. Maybe you position the desk so you have better access to the window and the remaining sunlight. Perhaps you’d like to change the background on your computer with a beautiful image which reflects the season.

What would inspire you? Is there a way that you want to adjust your space in the next few weeks to welcome the new season?

When it comes down to it…

Having an inspired workspace isn’t necessarily about having zero clutter and perfect order. In fact, that can be rather uninspiring. Instead, think about what would make you feel more comfortable, more invited, and more excited to do what you love.

What would bring to your space some of summer’s sweetness and autumn’s focus?

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Retreat.

Last month’s article about our sped-up culture generated some interesting responses (Why I can’t Drive 55) on the blog. Many people feel overwhelmed and don’t know how to get off the no-so-merry-go-ground.

In recent years, I’ve become a huge advocate of an effective antidote to stressed-out living: retreats. Putting life on hold for a specific number of days, essentially pressing ‘pause’, is incredibly effective at helping people slow down and re-establish a healthy pace.

“Oh, no. I couldn’t possibly.”

If your first response to the idea of a retreat is resistance, you probably need it more than you think.

Your spirit gets depleted whenever your work needs you — or your kids, or parents, or whomever — to the point where you can’t ever leave. If this sounds like you, my heart goes out to you.

Most of the self-employed people I know are just a step from running on fumes. They try to solve this by adding things to their lives — new things like social events, possessions, foods, et cetera. But all this newness and novelty wears off pretty quickly, leaving us with more commitments and possessions to maintain.

Retreating is about allowing yourself to be nourished by simplicity.

Reasons not to…

As enticing at it may sound, we resist retreating for lots of reasons. Commitments — the kids, the business, the logistics, and the expense — are part if it. Look a little deeper and you’ll find other reasons:

• I’m afraid of upsetting or disappointing my family and friends.
• Whatever would I do with all that time?
• What if I discover something I want to change about my life?

When it comes down to it, one of the biggest reasons we resist retreating is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of upsetting the status quo. These are absolutely valid feelings. If you feel this way, make some space for them to come up. Sit with them and see if you want to retreat despite the presence of fears.

Feel the fear and do it anyway.

Fear isn’t always red light; sometimes it’s a yield sign. Look both ways, and proceed.

13 years ago, when I took my fist solo retreat with guidance from Jen Louden’s The Woman’s Retreat Book, I was excited and also nervous. I took the leap and discovered things about myself I had never known. I felt renewed. Alive. It was worth the risk.

View a retreat as a tune-up for your heart. You can’t change the oil and spark plugs while you’re speeding down the road. The vehicle must leave the road temporarily in order to receive this restorative maintenance. Going on retreat takes you away from everyday life so that your spirit gets the maintenance it needs.

Be prepared

If you’re ready to pack you bags, or at least open to the idea, you’ll want to prepare yourself and those around you for your departure. Here are 10 ways you can get the most from your experience.

How to retreat

1. Schedule the time

Only you know what’s right for you, but I generally prefer that taking more than you think you need. Stretch. I used to retreat annually for a whole week. Now, I go every other month for 3 days.

If that much time sounds insane to you, ask yourself: “How much time do I need to feel truly nourished?” And listen — trust what comes up for you.

Then set it aside, marking the dates in your calendar.

2. Establish your boundaries

Any time you do something to nourish yourself, creating a safe container allows you to really immerse yourself in the experience.

Before you go on retreat, consider some of the following questions:

• Do I want to go alone?
• Do I want to be reachable? By whom? Under what circumstances? How often?
• Do I want internet access? A cell phone?
• How far away do I want to go?
• What kind of environment would support me? What would distract me?
• What other boundaries do I need to feel supported and present?

3. Inform your close circle

Once you’ve established your boundaries, communicate them to the loved ones who will be affected. Ask them for their support and tell them why you are taking this step. I call this “frontloading” (full article about this), which can be very useful.

For example, Inspired Spouse and I have an agreement that when I’m on retreat, I’m likely to call once each day after dinner for about 15 minutes. However, if I’m not in the mood, I won’t. Since we made this agreement in advance, it works out fine. In fact, those evening conversations have been among the sweetest in our 5 years together.

Although it may not happen, anticipate some resistance from your loves ones — especially if you’re new to setting boundaries with them. If they are accustomed to having you as their go-to person, they may not be entirely comfortable with you being unavailable to them. Ask if your loved ones need anything from you while you’re retreating. Be clear about your needs and negotiate an agreement that will work for all. It can be a challenging dance if this is something new for you, but honoring your own boundaries while respecting others’ is worth the effort.

4. Set an intention

Once boundary details have been worked out, spend some time talking or journaling about what you’d like to get out of your retreat. I don’t suggest writing a to-do list (since you probably have plenty of to-dos in your normal life). Instead, think about what you’d like the retreat to feel like. What kind of experience do you want to have, in general?

For example, your intention might be to relax and find some peace. You might want to practice being present and giving self-compassion. Perhaps you’d like to express yourself creatively through writing, or song, or drawing. You could spend days just asking yourself, “What would nourish my spirit?” and really listening to the information you receive.

Spend time thinking about what you’d like out of the time. Doing this increases your chances of getting what you need.

5. Choose your destination

Once you’ve set your intention, find a setting that will support it. How important is solitude? Prepared meals? Walking trails? Nature? Community? Over time, I’ve discovered that I like having a room to myself (with a bathroom) and the option of solitude. Being near water is one of my favorite things, so I find places that offer this.

Because I write about retreats a lot, people often ask me, “Where do you go?”. I confess I have some favorites (none of the following are affiliate links). Among them are Breitenbush Hot Springs, Mt. Angel Abbey, St. Benedict’s Lodge, Silver Falls Conference Center and any number of vacation rentals. I’ve also always wanted to go to Menucha and Hidden Lake, too.

If you’re not close to Oregon, just Google “retreat center” and your state or country — you’re bound to come up with some options. Maybe you have a friend with a beach or mountain getaway you could rent. Some people like to check in to a B&B or hotel.

What’s right for you? Only you can decide.

6. Travel lightly

When faced with gobs of free time, it’s common to over-plan how you’ll use it. You might feel tempted to load up a suitcase with projects, activities, even neglected work to fill your time.

Consider bringing less than you think you’ll need. A lot less. Physically carrying less with you is a conscious act of simplicity and a reminder that you already have all you need: head, heart, body and spirit. Seize the opportunity to discover what you would do if there was nothing to do.

If you can, make the traveling to your destination part of the retreat. Take your time driving through your own town like a tourist, noticing the people and smells and architecture. Enjoy the scenery. Stop at a roadside stand. On the way to one of my favorite retreat centers, I love to stop at a restaurant to order mouthwatering apple strudel. Savoring this dessert is a retreat all by itself!

7. Tolerate silence

Lots of people ask me, “What do you DO on retreat?”. Honestly, sometimes I do nothing but stare at the sky. On retreat, you can read, meditate, journal, create, walk, pray, and do anything that helps you slow down and feel nourished.

One of the things I have been working on is tolerating silence. When I’m silent, I can hear the voices I often ignore — the shoulds, ought tos, and shouldn’ts. The silence I give myself allows me to question these voices instead of letting them run my life. It’s a very powerful practice to slow down enough to notice and work through these thoughts.

If you’re not a quiet type, there’s no requirement to be completely silent. The idea is to try something different. Give it some thought.

8. Make space for feelings

Taking time out puts you in touch with your feelings. At least it can. I sometimes feel moved just looking at the trees in fall, or a humming bird feeding, or a sumptuous retreat meal. In her book, An Altar in the World (excerpted here), Barbara Brown Taylor says, “…If you slow down for a day, then all kinds of alarming things can happen. You can start crying without having the slightest idea why.”

We spend so much energy putting off feelings in our daily lives that they can catch us by surprise. A wise friend once told me that any feeling, fully felt, dissipates. On retreat, you have the opportunity to feel deeply without interruption, allowing old pain to dissolve and more space to open in your heart.

I used to think that feeling emotional meant I was doing my retreat wrong — that I should just feel blissed out all the time. If you find yourself feeling moved, don’t let it frighten you. Welcome the feelings. Allow yourself to be present with them and discover what they have to tell you.

9. Listen to the small, still voice

Whether you’re gone for a day or a week, a moment may arrive when you’re not sure what to do next. In our normal lives, we’re used to rushing on to the next thing. On retreat, this moment of uncertainty gives you the opportunity to ask yourself a simple and life-changing question: “What do I need right now?”

When you ask this, pause. Stop and listen for a small, clear response. Some people hear a voice, others sense a feeling in their body. You might get an image, or a sound, or nothing at all. It might take some practice, this listening. When we rush, our spirit closes down — retreats open it back up again.

Listen for what this small, still voice has to share – and then find a way to act on it. I’ve spent entire retreats focusing on this one question, asking it of myself dozens of times in one day. “What do I need right now?” Then listening deeply. Then acting on what I perceive. Not only does this practice help my office organizing techniques, it’s a first class ticket to a more fulfilling life.

What do you need right now?

10. Integrate retreat insights into your life

When you return to your life, it might be hard to remember what you discovered about yourself. Take notes – leave breadcrumbs so you can find your way back to this simpler life. On the night before you leave your retreat, take some time to reflect on (and even record) some of the insights you gained during your retreat.

What would you like to take back with you? Maybe you ate home-made meals on retreat and you’d like to continue that practice at home. Maybe you slept for a full 8 hours each night. On one retreat, I discovered a simpler way to keep track of my work projects that I jotted down and implemented as soon as I got home. If you reflect, you can almost always find a seed of truth that you want to take home with you.

Take your time settling back in, even giving yourself a few days home with no commitments to ease back in. This allows even further integration of the pace of retreats and helps you slow your real life down to a healthier pace.

Is it time?

I know this is a long article. If you made it this far, perhaps a retreat is calling to you? What would it take for you to take the leap?

And many more!

It’s been such a fun adventure so far – and sharing something I feel so passionately about bring me a lot of joy and satisfaction. Better yet, there’s a growing group of people (including you) that are starting to get that organizing can be loving and holistic. I’ve loved the conversations, the comments, the community that’s building around compassionate organizing.

For a look back over the past year, here are the Top 5 Most Viewed posts:

• 5. What do YOU do to keep track of passwords?
• 4. The 5 guiding principles of finding your VA (by guest blogger, Marissa Bracke)
• 3. The #1 sneaky lie that attracts overwhelm
• 2. Grape scented delegation and dropping the ball
• 1. How the retreat really went

You don’t have to sing, but if you’d like to comment please do! What was your favorite post from this year?

In addition to getting them out of the trunk, one of the things many people struggle with is assigning a “fair market value” to items.  The IRS requires you to do this but doesn’t provide a listing for reference. Lots of people skip this step and never get their tax credit! Fortunately, if you want a good jumping-off point, Goodwill Industries provides this price list that helps you determine a fair amount. Sweet!

When you drop off your items, ask the organization to provide a receipt so that you can use this to back up your donation in case of an audit. I’m not a tax professional, of course, so talk to your accountant if you have questions.

What are you waiting to donate? I have a stack of paperbacks in the garage that’s growing! How about you?

When it comes to clearing clutter from your space, it’s this invisibility that makes it hard to start the clearing process. If you’re not aware of what’s there and you can’t see it, how can you clear it?

Here are three ideas:

• Draw a circle around it (restrict) – Take a lovely piece of ribbon or blue painter’s tape and encircle the area you want to clear. By restricting the sheer number of square inches, you’ll find you can concentrate better to clear it!
• Put it somewhere new (relocate) – By physically picking it up and moving it, you create spaciousness – and focus. Once you have that pile on your lap (or cafe table or park bench), you can clear out the unnecessary with greater ease.
• Turn that puppy over (reverse) – Amazingly simple AND effective. Take any old pile, flip it over, and start working from the bottom. The stuff you now pick up first is enough out of date that it’s way easier to clear.

When it comes down to it, what’s needed is a chance to really see what is there so you can decide what happens next. Try any of these strategies and see what you think!

Do you have other ideas for seeing your stuff with new eyes — and getting it cleared?

• attention deficit
• hyper
• depressed
• anxious
• autistic
• distractable
• anti-social

I feel yucky just typing these. When I was in grade school, my teachers said I was “not performing to potential”, “talkative”, “a daydreamer”. The worst was “Queen of the Space Cadets”. Ouch. Years later, as an adult, I got the label “attention deficit disorder”.

Brain labels erode confidence

Although I’m sure my teachers meant no harm, their labeling made me feel different – in a way that isolated me and prevented me from asking for help. Somehow that label meant that the behavior was my problem. If I would just try harder… (ever heard that one?)

In my heart of hearts, I knew I was fine just the way I was — I loved being creative and imaginative — but not everyone is that lucky. Over time, we unconsciously absorb the belief that being different is not okay. We fall prey to the belief that we’re inferior, not intelligent, or as good as those who easily fit the norm.

Intelligence is more than your IQ

Ode Magazine recently published an article I’m crazy about. It’s called Your Brain is a Rain Forest, by Thomas Armstrong, which explores the concept of “neurodiversity”. Instead of a one-size-fits-all model brain, he suggests that there’s an infinite variety of brain types — all of them useful in their own right.

Instead of automatically labeling brains that deviate from the norm as aberant or inferior, Armstrong  argues persuasively that brain labels are, among other things, an indicator of our culture’s bias. Western culture is fast-paced, highly social, driven, and productive, so it’s inherently biased against brains that process slowly, are introverted, methodical, or dreamy. This is a loss, since all brains (and their people) have something valuable to contribute.

Just look at the life of Temple Grandin, autistic genius and creator of a humane cattle chute.

Caring for your brain in a sped-up, overstimulating world

As I’ve been writing this, the grass is being mowed outside my office. I can’t change this fact. I’ve gotten up about 6 times, turned on classical music, closed the door, closed the window, and put on my noise-canceling headphones — all to manage my focus.

In Armstrong’s article, he emphasizes the importance of constructing what he calls “positive niches” for your kind of brain. Just like birds or plants, different brains thrive in environments that compliment their unique qualities.

In addition to communities and geographic areas Armstrong discusses, at Inspired Home Office we create micro-level positive niches. My purpose is to help you create an environment that supports you and encourages your creativity. I never focus on your brain’s weaknesses. Instead, we explore what your brain does well so that you can integrate it into your work environment.

Some of the the unique traits and intellect that clients demonstrate include:

• emotion
• sensitivity and intuition
• creativity
• vision
• movement
• placement of physical objects
• systems
• relationships

When viewed through this positive lens, “deficiencies” become assets that are used to inform the creation of a nourishing environment. For example, someone who is highly visual might need something beautiful (window view, painting, collage, inspirational quote) to look at while working. Someone with a lot of energy might use a bouncy chair or treadmill while using the computer, so she’s not rigidly confined to a desk. Someone who craves solitude for reflection and renewal can set up systems that buffer her from interruption.

Your brain is a unique and beautiful gift

Take a moment to entertain this idea: if you struggle in your work environment, the problem isn’t your or your brain, it’s simply your environment. It doesn’t yet match your brain’s needs.

Don’t let a label run your life. Take a few minutes to read Armstrong’s article for full impact and begin to celebrate the brain you have.

Then explore: What’s one (small or large) adjustment you can make to your current workspace so that it more closely matches your brain’s strengths?

Has this happened to you before?

What do you do?

Things that work for me

When it happens to me, I like to pause for a moment and see if there are any emotions that need some space. This is especially effective for things that I have sentimental attachment to. Old purses. Sweet cards from loved ones. I pause and feel the feelings.

If it’s a more practical item, I like to ask myself, “What do you need?” and really listen to the soft reply that often comes. I also ask myself, “Do you need this? Do you love this? Does it support you and your spirit?” These questions really help me get to the bottom and release the frozenness.

These usually help clarify the next step.

Things that don’t work so well

Well, there’s always good old denial. “Oops!  A whole drawerful of miscellaneous power cords?! Let’s pretend I didn’t see that! Moving right along…” When something it too complex or I’m already overwhelmed, this is quite effective – in the short run. In the long run? Stuff doesn’t get released and it builds up.

Saving it for later is my other strategy. I do this especially with binders full of information from classes or workshops I’ve attended and paid good money for. “Someday” I’ll go through them all and make even better use of the material in them. Never happens.

What works for you?

When you’re clearing and you find something you want to release, but can’t, what do YOU do?

Please share your thoughts below…

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Take a moment right now to take stock of everything you need to do today. What’s on your list? If you’re like most creative people, it’s long. Would it be an understatement to call it  overwhelming?

Creative people are optimists – which is why we write to-do lists that are far longer than we can humanly accomplish. We are pretty good at denying reality and trying to pack it all in anyway.

When faced with a ton of things to do, most people try to solve the “not enough time” problem by hurrying. If we hurry, we reason, we can get everything done. In hurry mode, I imagine I look like a little time-elapse robot doing everything faster: working, reading email, brushing teeth, eating, walking, driving (eek!) – even talking with loved ones.

Not only do we speed up to fit more in, we cut corners. When I’m hurried I check out during conversations, skip flossing, disregard traffic rules. I know it’s not a good thing to do, but I’m in a hurry. Right?

Busy isn’t a virtue

Being busy is habit-forming. Once you start speeding up, it’s very hard to shut it off. We zip from one thing to the next without noticing how unsatisfying it feels. Even if we want slow down, we live in a culture that applauds a schedule that’s packed solid from dawn to bedtime. We’re pressured into doing more in less time. Ask anyone how they’re doing today, and practically no one says “fine” anymore. Everyone says “busy.”

But is busy what we’re really craving?

When I ask my clients how they want to feel ideally when they’re working, they say things like: calm, peaceful, open, connected, inspired, and alive. Sounds so appealing! That’s because we’re really not striving to feel more overwhelmed and short on time. Even if we end up getting stressed out, most people seek something more sustaining.

Busy is a choice

Being busy is an addiction that’s is challenging to recover from. Adrenaline and cortisol are hormones your body releases in response to stress. When we’re under stress, they motivate us.

Is fast useful sometimes? Sure! Back in the days of the Pony Express, a horse would be ridden at full gallop to get the mail delivered in an unprecedented amount of time (10 whole days – can you imagine?). At each checkpoint, the rider would switch to a fresh horse. Most of us know too well what it’s like for the horse who’s left behind. He collapses. It takes him days to recover. Like those ponies, we can only run at top speed for so long before we run our of energy – not to mention attention and patience.

Being busy, over-committed, and sped up don’t seem like a healthy choice for anyone (including those poor horses), but we do it every day. There’s no need to judge yourself, but waking up to it – and the consequences it has on your life – is the best place to start making a change for the better. And calmer.

The price of being in a hurry

While it can be interesting and even fun to have a life that’s packed solid, being hurried for too long can take a toll on your short-term memory, your sense of well-being, and your ability to react to small frustrations reasonably. I speak from personal experience — when I feel worried and slightly ticked-off — these are signs that my life is over-full.

Here’s the thing: when you’re at capacity, there’s nowhere for extra stress to spill. It just splashes over onto everyone and everything. You talk faster. You try to work faster. When something goes wrong, it feels catastrophic, even when you know in your head that it isn’t that big a deal. Life needs some room in it when the unexpected pops up – so when we fail to create that, we run around feeling tense and leaking this bad energy to those around us.

The other impact of being busy for too long is that people are more likely to get sick. It’s almost as if getting sick is the only way to slow the body down enough to catch one’s breath. Sometimes it’s a bad headache, or an upset digestive system. Other times it’s a full-blown virus. Your immune system just can’t keep up.

The greatest loss in being speedy is that we stop enjoying even things we love to do: enjoying delicious meals with friends, a favorite hobby, watching the kids play soccer, stroking a pet, kissing our special someone, day dreaming… We’re so busy trying to rush, to fit in one more thing, that we stop being present. We do things on automatic — meanwhile worrying about how much time it’s taking.

Busy-ness makes us lose our ability to enjoy life’s simplest pleasures.

There must be another way.

Life is for living, not running around, feathers flying, hoping the sky doesn’t fall. There’s more to your life than more. Creating balance sometimes means having less and doing less so you have room for what you crave. If you’ve been putting off a vacation, or a beloved creative outlet, or quality time with loved ones, look inward.

If you revisit your list of today’s to-dos, you might notice as you glance down the list that some of the items induce stress or dread in you. There are usually the “urgent and important” things we make time for no matter what. Beyond those you may find some other items that are interesting, compelling, and enjoyable. These are the activities most people have a harder time getting to.

Things to try:

1. Take a little time to notice what impact being over-full and in a hurry has on you, your dreams, and those you love. Do you feel satisfied?

2. Ask yourself: Is there something else you’re craving? If so, what do you really need? Trust whatever answers come up for you.

3. Notice whether there’s anything you’d consider letting go of that would add to you sense of satisfaction.

Many of us don’t realize that the spaces in which we do our work (home office, car, kitchen, etc.) are sacred. We’re so busy using them, that we don’t stop long enough to notice what a blessing it is to have not just shelter, but also light, space, quiet.

It can be so nourishing to stop and notice this.

By my front door, there is a little cove about waist height and about 3 inches deep where I put my intentions, prayer candles, and a beautiful icon of Mary of Guadeloupe. While I don’t spend a lot of time there, all I have to do is be near that space and I feel nourished, more alive.

So I wanted to ask you, dear reader:

What part of your home feels sacred to you?

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Just about everyone has one part of the house where the unwanted curiosities go. Sometimes it’s a drawer or an unused room, sometimes it’s in the attic or basement. When I have an item I’m not sure I need anymore, it goes in the mudroom for the next trip to the garage.

Here’s a list of some of our most recent unwanted oddities:

• a large box from a computer part
• a stack of unloved books
• a huge laundry soap bucket
• several bags of sticky, empty soda cans
• our old mattress

I didn’t think about what I wanted to do with all these things when they went to the garage. I just know I don’t want them in the house — so out they went!

The outcome of deferring

Putting stuff in the garage (or other room) without thinking defers making the final decision. Deferred decisions have a very “ugh” feeling to them. No matter what room you put things in you can tell by how it feels.

Sometimes I go out in the garage and I just can’t bear to look around. It’s too overwhelming. If you can relate to this feeling, it’s normal. Your brain can only handle one thing a a time (no matter how well you multitask), and when there are innumerable things in your garage, it stops your brain in its tracks. Instant overwhelm.

Every time we defer deciding what to do with an object, we add to our feelings of overwhelm.

Wrestling with “more is more”

It’s normal to be overwhelmed, in part because of the world in which you live.

I used to live in a house built in the 1920s. I loved the Craftsman style and architecture – what I hated was the lack of storage. When we finished the basement, the first priority was adding closet space. Looking back, it makes me wonder what’s changed so much about lifestyles in 100 years that would warrant such a drastic need for storage. Many older houses just had a nail to hang a Sunday dress on! Are human beings so different today?

Humans haven’t changed in a century, but our culture’s priorities have. Most Westerners are caught up in the pursuit of the newest, the biggest, the latest trends – even though very little of it adds lasting satisfaction or peace to our lives. I think that marketing messages escalate our fears of being caught unprepared and being the odd-person-out. We collect stuff to feel safe.

The more we stuff we accumulate, the more time we spend managing it all. This effectively reduces the time we have for the relationships we crave.

Alternatives (they do exist!)

A variety of communities have sprung up around voluntary simplicity and the slow movement. Wise people are waking up to the idea that more/newer/better doesn’t fulfill our heart’s needs. These communities help people reclaim their lives and loves.

As I’ve been on my own path to slowing down and choosing simplicity, I am finding more time to self-nourish, to enjoy my partner and friends, and even reclaim a hobby or two. How 20th century!

While I don’t have anything to share in discussions about TV shows or the latest gadgets (I own neither), I would really rather hear about people’s hearts anyway. I’m slowly defining myself less by what I own, and more by who I am.

But what about the stuff in my garage?

Right. About that. Whether your stuff comes from your office, kitchen, or other room, everything makes its way to the garage in the end. And there it sits, accumulating. Waiting for you to decide its fate.

The dread of this project comes from deferring so many decisions into one place – especially if you have attachment or emotions toward any of the items that languish there.

My primary suggestion is to make peace with letting it go. You will inevitably let each thing go – either now or when you die. The question is: how long you want to live with that “ugh” energy?

If you’ve had enough, roll up your sleeves and try these 3 practical steps:

1. The journey of a thousand miles:
Start with one thing in your garage. One thing only. Pick it up and look at it. Make room for any feelings that come up for you around this item.

2. Find where it goes:
Be curious about where it goes next. Once you’ve decided, commit to letting it go even if you haven’t gotten all the possible use out of it. Even if you think you could/should make money from it. Let go.

Research appropriate homes for it, but acknowledge that it’s an alien to you now, not your possession. Once you know where it goes next (recycle, donate, disposal), take it there.

3. Rinse, repeat:
Keep doing these two steps until only the essential remain. It sounds so easy, most people ignore this advice as simplistic. It’s challenging, but very effective. Just start.