Nudge Challenge Week 10 = Search and Toss

NUDGED: "Throw something out"

BACKSTORY: For the past year, I have been decluttering our house. I have gone from area to area, through every storage space, drawer and cabinet, and getting rid of items I don't need or use. My physical space feels better as a result, but it made this nudge more difficult! What else can I get rid of when I have already purged so much? I am very sentimental too and struggle to get rid of things, even things that should have been tossed a long time ago. This nudge challenged me to reconsider ALL of my things and to let go.

QUOTE: "Keep only those things that speak to your heart. Then take the plunge and discard all the rest. By doing this, you can reset your life and embark on a new lifestyle." - Marie Kondo, "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing" (good book!!)

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK:

I watch our dog Coco utilize her purposeful, tunnel-vision focus when she searches for a treat every morning. While she goes outside to potty, we hide a treat for her in the living room. She comes in at 100 mph and searches the room excitedly looking for that treasured treat that was hidden. She won't move on to anything else until the treat is found. She looks for it and finds it every day.

I was determined this week to have the purposeful focus of our dog in finding unnecessary crap to toss. I started the week thinking there was NOTHING that I could part with as I have been getting rid of items all year. As with the dog, when I looked for it, I found it every day.

My inspiration and helper in finding crap this week.  She's the expert.

Each day, I found myself putting items in the trash can and always wondering why I had kept it so long. I threw out old printer and copier manuals at work for machines we no longer had. I threw away old college course books and old phone books from many years ago (and never once used!). I threw away a pair of black socks that have always slipped down my heel as I walk but yet I keep washing them and re-wearing them. I threw away (recycled technically) three old plastic water bottles that were not being reused. I also threw away old pens that didn't work - I LOVE pens but don't love pens that don't write. I thew away old make-up packages that I was saving to know the brand and color in the future, but I realized that information is also on the product itself. I threw away product samples that I realistically will never use. I threw away old home improvement project items that are no longer needed but were kept for no reason. Many, many items were tossed this week.

LESSONS LEARNED: I was a Girl Scout and was taught to always be prepared. This motto stuck with me and contributed to me keeping too much stuff "just in case". I discovered I don't have to keep so many items, especially when they will never be useful. I also discovered that its okay to toss things that don't work even if they aren't completely broken (like my annoying socks). I also learned to never search "purge" for ideas/advice on decluttering in Pinterest because it will assume you have an eating disorder. Evidently, you don't need much advice for how to get rid of things (purge) - you just need to do it!!

NEXT UP: I look forward to Sunday mornings and the time I get to select a new nudge for the week from my wooden box. The next nudge is perfect for a new item I just bought, and will challenge me to actually wear it in public. The nudge for this week is "wear a baseball hat".