Our homes are more than just a place where we sleep and a roof for us to store our stuff under. They reflect who we are today and where we’re headed tomorrow.
Now, just to be clear. Our home is the place we return to at the end of the day to rest our head and it is the place where we keep our stuff. But it is more than that.
Home is also the launching pad from which we live our lives in the world. And the second part of this purpose of home is often overlooked. And when it is, our homes can hold us back more than we realize.
Think of it this way, the longer we live in a home the more it collects objects from our past. If you’ve lived in your home for any number of years, just look around. It is likely full of stuff from our past: old hobbies we don’t participate in anymore, clothes that don’t fit, kitchen items we used to use, items from when our kids were younger, books from school, souvenirs from trips.
These things used to be a part of our lives, but now they just sit there, taking up space. And the longer we live in a home, the more these possessions from the past have collected.
We often keep these things because they remind us of good times or because we think we might need them again. But life has changed.
That’s just how life works—we are always growing and changing. “The only constant in life is change,” as the old saying goes.
And because life has changed, many of the items we needed years ago are not needed today.
In this way, letting go of excess possessions is often about releasing an older version of ourselves. And this can be where many people struggle. Decluttering our past can feel like a betrayal of the past—or at the very least, a loss of appreciation for it.
But decluttering the past doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate it. It just means acknowledging that change has happened and intentionally walking, fully focused, into our next and current season.
By decluttering possessions from previous seasons of life, we don’t diminish that season. Just the opposite. We honor it by fully embracing the new you that was formed out of it.
The best way to honor our past is to live fully in our present.
As an example, clutter from past seasons of our lives can show up in various ways:
- Items from old careers that no longer define us.
- Toys and clothes from when our children were younger.
- Equipment from past hobbies we used to love, but no longer interest us.
- Souvenirs from past accomplishments (or dreams fulfilled).
- Keepsakes from experiences we enjoyed.
- Items from past relationships that enriched our lives—sometimes in immeasurable ways.
These possessions helped shape who we are, but if they are not serving us in our current season, they are holding us back from it. And shedding yesterday can usher in an even brighter future.
Consider the invitation to embrace the freedom of owning less: freedom to be who you are today, to make the most of you are, and to bring your best every day.
Acknowledging that those items served their purpose in shaping us into who we are today is an important step in removing them. But we also must give ourselves permission to move forward as the people we have become, unburdened, and open to the richness and importance of the present.
If you’re surrounded by the physical possessions of an old version of yourself, view minimalism as an opportunity to rejuvenate your space AND your spirit.
Letting go isn’t an end. It’s an invitation to redefine, refine, and rediscover. Minimalism is about creating a space that reflects who you are today and who you want to be in the future.
Today is the perfect day to let go of yesterday’s clutter and embrace the unlimited promise of tomorrow.
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If you struggle with decluttering these types of possessions, here are some articles that will help:
ChuNam says
Thank you. Reading your sharing reminds me of the image of my wife regularly tidying up and getting rid of things. I like to keep things, but my wife says we should declutter to have more spacious, organized space because they are no longer necessary. I acknowledge that tidiness brings a relaxing view, helping us feel less overwhelmed with worries in our lives. Another benefit is that with fewer belongings, we can decorate the room more easily, arrange things more smoothly, a place that brings new ideas, new items for us to incorporate into our current life.
Judy says
This makes sense! It’s not always easy, but better to let things go than to hold on to something just because it’s old—- for example. Some of these “had this forever” items don’t necessarily bring me joy.
Liz says
I needed to hear this and do it, thank you! I still have some of my youngest kid’s preschool artwork up hanging up (it makes me smile) but he’s 23 and I’m sure he thinks it should come down! Thank you for the kind encouragement to move forward and that’s its okay to do so. And taking a photo is a great idea!
Lee Ann says
Everything you said in this article hit me so personally I thought you wrote this as a letter to me! Thank you, Josh. You have no idea how I needed to hear your tender words of truth.
Trish says
Honestly, I am amazed at the tender yet firm way that you have in encouraging the “letting” go. The past is just that, passed. We take what the past has made/given us with us and go forward.
Thank you for the steady encouragement…. applicable to every season of life!!!
Melissa Billeaud says
As I read this, two things came to mind: my closet still holding clothes from my teaching days (I’m at stay-at-home-mom now) and the veggie spiralizer in my kitchen cabinet I haven’t used in 5 years! I love how you said, “The best way to honor our past is to live fully in our present.” Thanks for another wonderful and inspiring piece, Josh!
John says
When my wife and I sold our bigger house and downsized to a smaller one last year, we also sold, donated, and discarded possessions from the past we no longer needed. A few I photographed for posterity sake. There’s a wonderful lightness of being that accompanies minimalism and decluttering. And when you’re less encumbered you are freer to explore new paths and possibilities.
Liz says
I like the phrasing of seasons of life. Just as the trees shed their leaves, I need to shed keepsakes that don’t fit my new season.
Lexi Schafer says
This article is perfectly timed as we are retiring later this year and have started going through boxes and and boxes and boxes of things from YEARS ago — probably 28-29 boxes, so far! Pamplets/brochures/receipts from our honeymoon location, which was 34 years ago; things my parents kept for me from my childhood, and so much more (my husband even found a box labeled “outdates” and had a bunch of his old sweaters in it. Not sure why we even kept it all these years!!!).
Your posts and articles have been very helpful to us in this process.
Betsy says
Well said!