The Plan With a Capital P
I love the change in seasons. It’s feels like a natural time to look at what’s working and what’s not. An invitation to simplify and slow down. And as I noticed those first leaves changing hues, I took full advantage of this call. This nudge serendipitously corresponded with a tiny window of opportunity: All my clients had my work in their inboxes, but hadn’t emailed back yet. My homeschool routine with Veda felt easy and manageable for the time being (knock on wood). And I had a Plan, With a Capital P.
My Plan was ambitious and multi-tiered. (I tend to be of the GO BIG or go home mindset - this has served me and also stranded me.) I would simplify every aspect of my life I could think of, one by one. No biggie. :)
(Quick side note: I do realize that my Plan is extremely nerdy, which I readily accept and embrace. If simplifying and streamlining is not your jam – I get it, and I salute you and your wild ways! Just close this tab and back away coolly.) :)
A lot of books on simplifying say to start with a WHY. They say being clear on your reason makes it easier to stick to it. And, for me, the ”why” was simple: To have more time. To be able to rest deeply and have more downtime. To be with my loved ones. To read books. To feel spacious. To slow the pace.
And with that in mind, I was ready to start on The Plan.
Phase 1: Belongings. I would go through every single blessed item I own, category by category (KonMari-style) to sort, purge and simplify. I would keep only what sparked joy or was absolutely necessary, letting the rest go.
To begin, I found a master list online to help keep me on track, and I started with category one: Clothes. Clothing is easy for me. I am a no-fuss jeans and t-shirt kind of gal, and I am not attached to clothes. So it was easy to donate most of them, keeping only what I regularly wear (hello favorite black sweatshirt) or need (you gotta stay, yard work clothes).
(Additional side note here: getting my clothes sorted snow-balled into a total closet overhaul. Our house is old and my closet is very tiny, so it really didn’t take much. I pulled out all the old shelves, cleaned them, and painted them, along with the walls and ceiling. I found matching containers, so clothes were easy to keep in place. Now when I open my closet in the morning to get dressed, joy is definitely sparked.)
The next category of belongings was books. Then papers. Then art supplies, and bathroom stuff, and travel gear, etcetera etcetera. I went through each and every category, meticulously pulling out every single item and assessing its value in my life. At times it did feel overwhelming. To see a huge pile of office supplies covering the floor, and every kitchen item I own, all out in one place… it’s a bit daunting. But I noticed that if I just started anywhere - picking up one random thing and making a decision - it soon became manageable. The trick was just to start. One foot, then the other.
And with those feet following each other, I made it through every category of my belongings, including the years of taxes saved and dusty boxes full of god-knows-what in the attic.
I don’t know the percentage of items purged or donated, but it was a lot. I was already starting to feel lighter.