I’ve been cleaning my room lately. Everything is so cluttered, and I am currently trying to adopt a minimalist lifestyle - with as little clutter and objects as possible.
I’ve read Marie Kondo’s book about how to organize and throw away things responsibly. It’s in the back of the mind now, since my room has been a disorganized mess for the past couple of years.
So far, I’ve cleaned a small section of my room, but threw out two large garbage bags worth of documents, books, and just general stuff that I don’t find the need for.
Every day, I use the same stuff over and over again, and barely touch all the other things in my room. But don’t get me wrong, I appreciate all the stuff that I’ve thrown out.
I’ve thrown out stuff from Toastmasters, times during my MBA, and documents from work, among other things. Sometimes, it’s easier said than done.
Those stuff bring back some really good memories. You kind of want to hold onto those memories forever and ever.
But alas, you need the courage to throw things away, otherwise you will just be a hoarder and leaving things in the room for no particular reason but for the fear of losing something.
There were all the documents from the variety of Toastmasters speech contests that I participated in. Makes me grateful that I am a part of such a wonderful organization. One that has significantly enriched my life countless times over.
I’ve thrown away a bunch of business cards from my time collecting while working in the family business and far earlier during my times doing an MBA overseas in France and China.
Makes me realize that I’ve been a very active man in the past, trying to schmooze and network with as many contacts as possible.
Thanks for the memories. They are appreciated. But, now it’s time to declutter my room and move on to new and better things.
After all, discarding objects that remind you of the good times can be hard. But, it’s a reminder that at least you’ve been through good times. Good memories with friends, families, and loved ones.
It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Throwing things away makes you realize that you’ve had it good. And you still have it good.
Nothing too much to complain about these days. It’s kind of cathartic as well - when you see the load of garbage bags worth of stuff that you don’t need anymore.
I threw out some of my prized Chinese learning books simply because they were taking up too much room next to my bed and simply collecting dust.
Surprisingly, it did not take me much hesitation to throw it out, as my room is small and the less clutter the better it is for my work and my well-being.
Throwing out all these old stuff from years ago brings back fond memories quite frankly of the good old days. And it makes me grateful to have participated in some fun times at Toastmasters, at my piano recitals, and while learning Chinese holed up in a coffee shop in Beijing for hours.
Simple stuff like that makes it worth it. But, when it’s out with the old. It’s time to be in with the new. And having a decluttered room makes a world of difference in terms of peace of mind and clarity.
Sometimes, you need to be aggressive with the throwing away of goods. But, there are only a limited amount of space in a room. And the more space I have, the healthier I feel.
I still can’t believe I haven’t decluttered my room for ages. But, spending a good hour and a half and I can declutter one half of my room with no worries.
It’s all about simply taking that first step. Taking action, and then things will get rolling for the better.
The next step is to collect all the books I’ve read over these years and donate a good majority of them away to charity. It’s good to get rid of things that are of value.
Sometimes, the things you need to get rid of are the things that still hold some sentimental value, but maybe they will work out fine in the hands of others.
Throwing things out from my room has triggered fond memories of all types, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sometimes, it’s best to just let go.
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