Well, we did it.  In just under 6 weeks, we decided we were going to move, put the house on the market, (sold it in just under a day), found a new house, packed, closed on both houses, moved out of one and into the other, unpacked, and started trying to return to some semblance of normalcy!

What did I learn from this experience?  I learned lots of things, but one of the big lessons is how much “stuff” we have that we don’t need or even use!  I hadn’t seen some of that stuff since we moved into that house almost 10 years ago.  It was a shed fest of papers, clothes, do-dads and knick knacks.  It feels like a huge weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, and there’s still so much more to shed!

What do you need to shed in 2013?  Is it a relationship, paperwork, weight, bad habits?  All of these things can literally weigh you down.

So how do you lighten the load?  Try these strategies: 

1. Decide on the outcome you want and be clear about it.  Hazy goals get hazy results.  Be specific about what you want the outcome to be and what success looks like.

2. Know why you’re doing it.  When push comes to shove, it’s often pretty compelling to take the easy way out.  If you don’t know why you’re making changes, it’s hard to really tap into those motivators.  Is it better health?  More peace of mind?  Why are you making this change.  For me getting rid of the stuff really makes me feel better.  There is less to manage, and I can focus on appreciating what I have.

3. Baby steps.  I’m going to do a little every day, rather than try to conquer the whole house at once.  It’s less overwhelming and you can celebrate success regularly.

4.  Make it a ritual.  Rituals become habitual.  What is something you can commit to doing regularly, and how can you make it just another part of your day?

5.  Celebrate success!  We are so quick to move on to the next goal, we forget to stop and smell the roses.  Celebrate your accomplishments.  You’ve earned it!

Check out last year’s first post on creating resolutions that stick for more ideas on how to kick start 2013.

And Like us on Facebook to share your goals for 2013!

8 Comments

8 Comments

  1. Hello Anne! Happy New Year! I so agree with your post today. I have been “trying” to clean my cluttered room but it there are times it gets more difficults. I admit, cleaning is not my thing, but I did clean some of it over the holidays and like you said, there was some stuff I did not use, wear, or knew I had it. Some went to goodwill and other went to trash. 🙂 I will do my best to stay focused and have a goal in mind to motivate me to finish what I started. Thank you for that. Hope you have a great week.

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  2. Happy New Year Anne! Glad you made it through with flying colors! On managing clutter, a woman I work with has a great rule: The rule of Seven. Every Tuesday she throws out seven things. Why Tuesday? She said she has no idea, it’s just random. Why seven? Same answer. But it works for her. And it can be anything. An old quilt you haven’t used in years or a piece of paper that’s been lingering in the dining room. Small or large… Seven things get tossed. I love this idea. Of course, I have yet to get in the habit. Once in a while I remember to play the game and, honestly, it’s kind of fun. Maybe because you know there’s an end, and it’s soon if you only have to count to seven.
    But since I’m a great planner but suck at execution … maybe if I applied a rule of Three to Every day it would be successful. Three is easy. I can throw away three things at my desk right now. In fact, I think I will.
    Done: three post its I no longer needed. 🙂

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  3. My rules for getting rid of stuff:
    1. If it doesn have monetary or sentimental value get rid of it.
    2. If you haven’t used it in a year get rid of it.
    3. And my favorite, if you haven’t used it in a year and think you might use it get rid of it anyway.

    john k

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  4. Happy New Year Anne! I cannot imagine having that much to do in such a short period of time – but you are ‘super woman’ 🙂 I am looking forward to a better year and hoping you and your family find new adventures to enjoy together 🙂

    See you soon my friend!
    Sharon

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