“Pare down to the essence.” ― Leonard Koren
We’re moving.
After years of casually (and at times not so casually) looking to move, we finally found a house.
We made an offer.
Offer accepted.
We were even fortunate enough to sell our current house in under a week.
Buying a house before selling your existing home is a high wire act.
At times, it felt like we were trying to pull off our own version of the PHILLY SPECIAL.
Somehow, it worked out.
But that’s a story (and a blog post) for another day.
Now the fun beings…
Packing.
Ugggggh.
There’s a quote I read this week, “Moving was a great idea until I started packing.”
It’s a 30-day sprint to BOX UP, CLOSE OUT, and LEAVE the place our family called home for more than a decade.
The packing / moving process is eye opening.
It makes you realize how much unnecessary stuff we have in our lives.
CLUTTER accumulates everywhere:
- Our Homes.
- Our Schedules.
- Our Minds.
MOVING has taught me a BIG lesson.
EDIT, EDIT, EDIT
I am now in EDIT MODE in all areas of my life.
What I’m EDITING:
Personal Possessions
I am no longer holding on to things for Future Me.
If I don’t wear it or use it, it’s donated or thrown away.
No more things saved for “someday”.
If I don’t LOVE IT, it’s gone.
Future Me can either buy a new one or figure out how to live without when the time comes.
EDITING is liberating.
The MENTAL benefits may be greater than the physical ones.
Our home actually feels lighter.
Less physical items lead to less mental clutter.
Schedule
Moving is a great reason to EDIT what goes on your calendar.
Time is ticking.
There’s a ton to get done.
One of my favorite quotes is by Jim Collins, “If you have more than 3 priorities, you don’t have any.”
What are your 3 priorities right now?
If the event you just committed to is not related to those priorities, why is it on your schedule?
Ryan Holiday wrote, “What’s your main thing? Ok… So why are you doing all of these other things?”
I’ve found SAYING NO takes courage, but is LIBERATING.
This frees up an incredible amount of time to INVEST in WHO and WHAT matter most.
PEOPLE
It’s never a bad time to EDIT the negative people out of your life.
- Who are the people that bring too much drama?
- Who drains you energy?
It may be a good time to start EDITING them out.
MOVE ON UP
We all heard that “Less is more.”
It’s not just a quote.
It’s a philosophy that helps us live a REMARKABLE life.
Think of all that stuff you have jammed into BOXES and BINS.
Look at those commitments on your SCHEDULE.
Is all that really making your life better?
Or is it just weighing you down?
It may be time to start Movin On Up…
#EditEditEdit
– Joe Ciccarone
We had the same feelings when we moved from Harrison to Honey Run. It is now time to start cleaning up again!
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There’s something to be said for saving a few time capsules for the future. I recently uncovered a box of letters (we used to send those) from the 1980’s that friends and family sent to me in my early years at West Point. Many of the writers have passed, and I reread them all. It was amazing to read them and feel that love again nearly 40 years later.
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Good Point. That is special. My old shirts, not so much.
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