I grew up being told that there wasn’t enough.
My family lived in an 800-square-foot home. That had an attic, basement, two-car garage (with its own attic), a shed, and a closed-in porch. But we lived with the story that if we had a bigger house then we’d be organized.
We craved order. Why else did we continue to buy boxes, bins, shelving units, and free-standing cabinets?
So, we could keep everything. Broken toasters…just in case the brand new one stopped working. Hand-me-down towels, sheets, curtains, and blankets…even though we bought new items that better suited our house. Stacks of old envelopes that could be used for note taking…while we packed away blank notepads and notebooks. And…
I was the helpful daughter who packed many of those things into boxes. I rearranged things hoping to find more space for other things since I knew my parents wanted to keep everything.
The walls were lined with things storing stuff. We had to move sideways to get through the rooms. There was just enough space on the kitchen table for our plates.
And any free space in the house was filled with stress. But my parents refused to let go of anything. I stayed at home because of their health issues. Each year I felt increasingly hopeless and trapped.
When I ran out of space for my things, I began to declutter. In the beginning, this made me feel horrible. Would I miss this? Need that someday?
But decluttering opened up space for possibilities. I let go of the items that burdened me with expectations - read this, lose weight, wear that, listen to those CDs, watch these movies, save those things for my future children.
Letting go of this stuff and its expectations helped me discover what mattered to me.
My parents clung to the things in their house. When I emptied the house, I was baffled and overwhelmed because I couldn’t understand why these things were important to them.
My mother kept her wardrobe from before she married. Were all of these 50-year-old outfits connected to warm memories or were they regretful reminders of the career she wished she hadn’t given up?
Why did a knickknack that cost $2.99 get displayed in a prominent place while items inherited from their (I’m guessing) grandparents were packed in boxes stored in the attic?
After countless trips to the local donation center, a yard sale and private sales, and filling four 30-yard dumpsters, I turned around and looked at my own stuff.
I saw the connection between my mental and physical energy and the stuff I owned more deeply. I saw the things that could be appreciated and used by others now instead of being discarded as unusable in 40 years.
I started discovering more and more possibilities. I left my career as a nature and art teacher to become a professional organizer. I founded ALessClutteredLife.com because I believe that decluttering is more than another household chore. It's a way to clear the clutter and enjoy your life more.
My family lived in an 800-square-foot home. That had an attic, basement, two-car garage (with its own attic), a shed, and a closed-in porch. But we lived with the story that if we had a bigger house then we’d be organized.
We craved order. Why else did we continue to buy boxes, bins, shelving units, and free-standing cabinets?
So, we could keep everything. Broken toasters…just in case the brand new one stopped working. Hand-me-down towels, sheets, curtains, and blankets…even though we bought new items that better suited our house. Stacks of old envelopes that could be used for note taking…while we packed away blank notepads and notebooks. And…
- Old magazines organized by issue number.
- Books that would never be read or reread.
- Clothing that hadn’t fit for decades.
- Dishes. So many dishes.
- Toys and games were kept even when it became clear there would be no grandchildren to play with them during visits.
- Every paid bill and bank statement that went back to 1964.
I was the helpful daughter who packed many of those things into boxes. I rearranged things hoping to find more space for other things since I knew my parents wanted to keep everything.
The walls were lined with things storing stuff. We had to move sideways to get through the rooms. There was just enough space on the kitchen table for our plates.
And any free space in the house was filled with stress. But my parents refused to let go of anything. I stayed at home because of their health issues. Each year I felt increasingly hopeless and trapped.
When I ran out of space for my things, I began to declutter. In the beginning, this made me feel horrible. Would I miss this? Need that someday?
But decluttering opened up space for possibilities. I let go of the items that burdened me with expectations - read this, lose weight, wear that, listen to those CDs, watch these movies, save those things for my future children.
Letting go of this stuff and its expectations helped me discover what mattered to me.
My parents clung to the things in their house. When I emptied the house, I was baffled and overwhelmed because I couldn’t understand why these things were important to them.
My mother kept her wardrobe from before she married. Were all of these 50-year-old outfits connected to warm memories or were they regretful reminders of the career she wished she hadn’t given up?
Why did a knickknack that cost $2.99 get displayed in a prominent place while items inherited from their (I’m guessing) grandparents were packed in boxes stored in the attic?
After countless trips to the local donation center, a yard sale and private sales, and filling four 30-yard dumpsters, I turned around and looked at my own stuff.
I saw the connection between my mental and physical energy and the stuff I owned more deeply. I saw the things that could be appreciated and used by others now instead of being discarded as unusable in 40 years.
I started discovering more and more possibilities. I left my career as a nature and art teacher to become a professional organizer. I founded ALessClutteredLife.com because I believe that decluttering is more than another household chore. It's a way to clear the clutter and enjoy your life more.
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Clutter (or decluttering) aside, who is Susan?
I live along the Charles River in Massachusetts, USA with my husband and a fluffy calico cat named Biscuits. I crochet, craft handmade cards, and love reading young adult novels as well as personal development books. I volunteer for my town's Garden Club and Friends of the Library. Oh, and I love personality tests (no, I don't know which Disney princess I am).
I am...
To summarize, I love learning, figuring things out in non-conventional ways, and being supportive. I'd love to help guide you through clearing your clutter so you can reach a place in your life where you can focus on the things that truly matter to you.
I am...
- An INFP (The mediator)
- Adobe Creative Type - The Dreamer
- Values in Actions Character Strengths
- Love of Learning
- Forgiveness
- Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence
- Kindness
- Creativity
- Clifton Strengths (they charge for this quiz)
- Learner
- Intellection
- Strategic
- Input
- Restorative
- Enneagram Type 2: The Helper
- Rubin Tendency: Rebel (not as exciting as it sounds)
- Hogwarts House: Ravenclaw
To summarize, I love learning, figuring things out in non-conventional ways, and being supportive. I'd love to help guide you through clearing your clutter so you can reach a place in your life where you can focus on the things that truly matter to you.
