My Downsizing Challenge
by Moreen Torpy
(North Bay, Ontario, Canada)
A Time To Downsize and Organize Your Lifestyle For A Positive Outcome
Author Moreen Torpy shares her challenge, read the article and enjoy.
I have a deep need to be organized—a good trait for a Professional Organizer, I believe. And by working with clients and family members over the years to help them become organized and downsize their possessions, I’ve learned a fair bit.
I’ve even downsized my belongings a few times; however the last time wasn’t as easy as I’ve been telling people. “It gets easier with every move” I said. “With less to sort through, it will take less time” I said. But I learned that the less there is to downsize, the harder it is. Why? Because it’s the best of the best that remains. And when that won’t fit into a smaller space, some of it must go. Space isn’t elastic so it can’t stretch to accommodate all we might want to put into it. Sometimes I wish it would!
Several months ago I embarked on an exercise of extreme downsizing. I’d already moved from a 10 room home to a five room apartment, letting go of enough to furnish another entire living space. It was a relief to get rid of most of those items. Then a few years later found myself moving from there to a three room apartment. Clearly what was left was still too much. This time I wasn’t able to fully furnish another place, but just about. And that’s when I realized the project was a bigger challenge than I expected.
When I write about downsizing and how difficult it is, I know of what I speak. It’s hard work physically, emotionally, spiritually and psychologically. I didn’t want to move to such small place, but for health reasons it was necessary. Many times through this experience I reflected on clients and readers of my book about downsizing and how they felt or might feel when their turn came.
So I put into action the tips I provide to others. To improve myself physically, I changed my eating habits and got plenty of rest, even napping if I felt it necessary during the downsizing and packing process. Spiritually, I began meditating on a regular basis to calm my racing thoughts, mostly negative due to the circumstances. Emotionally and psychologically, I blogged and journaled to rid myself of those negative thoughts and warn readers of those blogs that even for someone like me, this was a huge challenge. Being an Organizer doesn’t exempt me from anxiety. Of course, what I made public weren’t my deepest, darkest thoughts. I saved those for my journal that only I see.
It’s nine months later and I’m settling into my new nest. I’m feeling the urge to hang pictures now. This is a good sign I think. I’m making the place mine and finally overcoming the negativity I’ve been carrying. As I look around now to see the place finally taking shape, I feel better about both myself and my living space.
And it looks organized. What more can I ask?
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© 2014 Moreen Torpy
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Moreen Torpy is the De-Clutter Coach, a Professional Organizer, Author, and Speaker. Her new book is Going Forward: Downsizing, Moving and Settling In. See http://GoForwardDownsize.com for more about the book and http://decluttercoach.ca to learn about her organizing services and other books as well as receive a gift.
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