I think many of us can relate to what Laura wrote here in some way, especially after the past five years.
What I’m realizing, though, when I try to declutter, is that some decisions are really hard to make, so I put them off. I just stuff the stuff right back where I found it. Why? I believe it’s because it’s not just stuff, it’s memories, dreams, and emotional attachments.
Reading Judith’s article made me realize that I have emotional attachments to things. I hadn’t thought of it that way. My youngest just started high school and my oldest will soon be 26. It’s time to release some of the little kid books and things that I won’t use again with my kids. I needed to write “young adults” there, but I just couldn’t yet!
I had such plans for a perfect homeschool life for my kids, such dreams. But they weren’t to be. Life happened. Job loss happened. Business loss happened. A tornado happened, and we volunteered extensively. We picked up the pieces and kept moving. I still have many of the pieces—books and curricula that I wanted to use, maybe did use, but don’t need anymore. Releasing those things means I must release the broken hopes, dreams and plans that I had.