The rewards of practicing “less is more.” 

We recently had several days of heavy rainfall, so my girls and I took the opportunity to clean out closets. We sorted through clothes we’d outgrown, clothes we’d worn out, and clothes we were ready to donate.

I absolutely hate this chore and dread doing it each year for the kids. But it’s an absolute must through these years when they are growing like weeds. It was also an absolute must for me who was quickly running out of closet space and fearing one day my wire racks would come tumbling down on top of me due to the sheer weight of all I was cramming in there. Thankfully, I tackled this chore before that happened. 

After working for several hours — one closet and dresser at a time — we ended the day feeling pretty darn good, in several ways: 

1)    We had freed up closet space, organized drawers and found items we forgot we even had.

2)    We had bagged up tons of items, still in good shape, to donate to others who could use them – an important lesson in giving and being generous, which I was intentional about discussing with the girls as we worked. This left us with an overall sense of satisfaction for doing good for others and helping those in need. It truly is better to give than to receive, which my girls now know from experience rather than just lip service.

3)    We found we felt lighter overall, literally as though the weight of too much stuff and lack of space had been lifted! It was a cathartic, mental exercise that was both therapeutic and energizing at the same time. I felt freer, and my mind felt as though it had been cleaned out, too, just like our closets and dresser drawers! 

I returned to work the following Monday telling my coworkers about what a terrific weekend I had cleaning out closets – no joke – because it left me feeling so good for days afterwards! What a wonderful reward for something I had been dreading. My husband is a huge proponent of “less is more,” and this is a perfect illustration of how that is true.

Have you ever experienced this? What do you dread doing but find you feel better afterwards? What types of activities do you intentionally engage in to clear your mind? I’d love to hear from you. 

Yours intentionally, Amanda