40 Bags - Freedom in Less

I wouldn't really call myself a true minimalist.  I get too sentimentally attached to things or have the mentality of saving too many things in case I need them.  However, during this purging project I have noticed an interesting phenomenon: the freedom that comes with letting go of things.

Sometimes I can really agonize about whether to keep or get rid of something, but I've noticed that whenever I choose to give it up, I get this rush of freedom.  I'm no longer weighed down by an item that I probably wasn't sure how to use or where to keep.  It makes we want to get rid of ten more!

I remember a time when I received a pretty dish as a gift.  My sister really admired it, and the thought occurred to me to give it her.  I hesitated - it was a recent gift, and it was really pretty.  But then I thought about how many lovely dishes I have from our wedding that I don't have enough chance to use and about how little extra space I have.  You know what happened - I gave it to her.   I never regretted it then or since.  In this way gift brought us both only pleasure, which I'm sure is what the giver would have wanted.

This freedom that comes with giving things away has also been affecting what I choose to bring into the house.  But that's a topic for a whole other post!

Here are the bags I've checked off recently:

Bag 10 - Trash!

 Bag 11 - Easter supplies I bought on clearance last year.  I donated these to our church, which is making Easter basket for needy kids in the community.

Bags 12, 13, 14, 15 Random holiday items - to freecycle.  Also to freecycle (not pictured) - huge stuffed animal, bag of cloth diapers of the kind we don't use.

Working on several more.  Not too much time left now!

Check out more tips at Works for Me Wednesday.