On sunny autumn days as the time moves toward the sweet light of sunset, it often looks like the world has caught fire as the trees are cast in shades of crimson, orange, and yellow.
Soon the branches will be bare, and once again, I’m reminded that there’s indeed a season for everything, and fall…fall is all about letting go.
I want to be like those trees — getting rid of everything that’s unnecessary, paring down to bare bones.
Freed from everything that’s not absolutely essential.
Like a tree getting rid of its leaves, I’ve indulged in some letting go this year.
So many things are gone!
Clothes I don’t wear, dishes I don’t use, tchotchkes I’ve dusted for years and kept out of habit.
I made hard decisions while going through my crafting supplies.
It took a while, but I finally admitted to myself I have no interest in ever again doing counted cross stitch or bead work. While I love quilting, I don’t love “sewing”…so I won’t ever make clothes for myself again.
Out it all went!
And the results are absolutely amazing!!
Like the whole house is a gazillion pounds lighter, and I have room to focus on what I really want out of this particular season in my life.
Making peace with the “what I don’t want” means there’s more space for the “what I do want.”
Do I miss the stuff that’s not there?
Nope. Not even a little bit.
Because I’m too busy enjoying all the things (and believe me, there are still plenty of things!) that are still there, things that I can really see now.
And whittling down my list of things that I do? Do I miss the cross stitch books and notions?
Nope. Not at all.
Because I have more time and space for what’s left behind (and there are still plenty of projects and activities).
When I started I took William Morris’s words as my guiding principle: “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.”
Words to live by when it comes to clearing and making space in your house for all you love best in the world.
What do you do with the stuff you get rid of? I have loads of scrap book stuff and I haven’t touched it in about 12 years.
We are a homeschool family, so I use our email loop to give-away things that “just need to go” but are “too good.” So if there’s a homeschool group in your area, that’s a good place to start. Also, lower elementary grade classrooms in public schools can often use crafting and scrapbooking things (stickers, stamps, do-dads) in their classrooms for crafting activities. I wonder if assisted living facilities would enjoy those kind of things so residents could make greeting cards or things like that?
Thank you for this reminder to let it go!! Love your analogy of the season to action that. xo
Kelly Skaggs is my daughter and showed me this. Thank you for your encouraging words. Now I need to put them to use.
Keep smiling, Elizabeth Ann Skaggs
Welcome aboard! ? I happy to see you here!!
I fill one box a week of “treasures” and other stuff
that I no longer want or need. What I need is less
stress. These boxes go to my local high school thrift store. It is an amazing feeling to let go.
That is a wonderful idea! I love sharing the love of crafting with other people. And yes, the feeling of letting go is amazing.
Cleaning out and letting go is a lifelong lesson.
You are so right! And it always feels so good!