Give Stuff Away—Let Moving Simplify Your Life

There is nothing quite like moving to force you to simplify your life. Oh, sure, the act of building, or finding a new place is complicated enough. And cleaning out my attic is even more complicated. But ultimately it's a process that forces you to re-evaluate everything.

As I was resting on my couch, dusty and tired from attempting to clean out 25 years worth of attic storage, I had the realization that moving is a lot like preparing for death...with the first part being a long, slow "whole life flashing before your eyes" experience. That's how I felt when I uncovered the teeny, weenie, cut off jean shorts I found in my friends sisters trash and wore relentlessly from the age of 12 to 18 and covered in patches of my own sisters cast off fabrics. Neither of my daughters wanted them. Why the hell did I keep them for so long? Seeing them does not even bring back good memories (it was the 70s!). Out they went. No regrets.

I imagined my daughters having to clean out my house after I die. What really matters? What's really worth keeping? Clearly, the good jewelry makes the cut. I know they will want that. The really good, comfortable, useful furniture is always handy to have. But mostly, what we want in that house is each other...and the pets...and the photo albums.

A lot of people, like my husband, and sometimes myself, have this nagging feeling like: I better hang on to this because a) someday it might be worth something, b) as soon as I get rid of it I will discover I truly need it, or c) someone's feelings might be hurt if they find out I got rid of it. Here is what I am learning to say to all that: Balderdash!

And here is what I found out. Giving stuff away feels really, really good. I gave all my old oil paints and brushes that were just making me feel guilty to a young starving artist. He was very happy. For Christmas this year, I gave all my family members stuff from the house - that I thought they might really want. Some of it was hard to let go of, but the feeling of lightness I had when I was through was almost magical. I know it was a tacky thing to do, but that was part of the fun of it.

As I prepare to leave the house I have lived in for a quarter of a century, the more I clean out and get rid of, the more I want to keep doing it. That doesn't mean I don't want some new stuff when I get to the new house. Yes, I am proud to say I want to upgrade some of my stuff. I've got a gleaming new expensive set of garden tools bubble-wrapped in the basement just waiting to get dirty at the new place.

But my old stuff is moving on. Once a month for the next few months, the local charity thrift shop will be stopping by with a truck. If somebody in that grungy store discovers that some of my old stuff is really worth something, then good for them! I've got everything I want-a healthy family, a beautiful new home, and a simpler, cleaner, more organized life...for now.