aftermath

This whole process was a very good experience for me. I got rid of so much junk and even though at this very moment my life is still a little cluttered, just knowing how much stuff I have gotten rid of is extremely satisfying.
Diogenes the Cynic basically associated possessions with unhappiness, and believed that the more one is able to live without possessions, the better off and happier they will be, because they are living in the moment and without anxiety. He took it to the extreme, living in a tub, eating the plainest food and wearing the coarsest clothes. I don't know if I agree with everything he said, but I think the less we tie up our happiness in things, the better off we will be, and he certainly seemed to have the courage to live out his convictions. Another great thing that has happened is that I've made so much more room now, it's as if my house has grown in size. The storage bins that I have been able to clear out will be more than adequate for storing the stuff that is left over. And finally, I knew I couldn't really do the 100 things challenge I mentioned in an earlier post, but this was something I could do to reduce clutter in my life. I reinforced something I knew about myself too, which was that I am much better at getting things done when I force myself to do something every day.
I hope other people out there are inspired by this small first step into doing something similar on their own. I do believe that possessions, especially unused posessions, have the effect of weighing you down, and when you rid yourself of some of those, you can live a slightly lighter existence. Plus, in the process of throwing things away, you really begin to realize what is important and what isn't, and you realize that there is less room in your life for what is just taking up space. Now the challenge is to apply what I've learned to other aspects of my life--and I think this was a great way to start down that path.