A story of how small
steps
can lead to big changes
“…an old No Fear ad campaign says,
‘the one who dies with the most toys still dies.’ But instead of heeding this simple wisdom, we continue filling our pockets with rocks and walking, quite happily, into ever deeper water.”
–Edward Readicker-Henderson, How to Get Rid of Stuff
Hi Everyone,
We did it! We emptied our entire attic. We have not seen it this way since we moved into the house over 27 years ago.
It took us about five weekend days, spread out over 2+ months.
If we'd wanted to keep living in our 1875 home with poor insulation and no chance of upgrading to a more eco-friendly heating and cooling system, we had to do it. Everything had to go.
As motivated as we were to clear out the space, however, let's just say that this was no easy task. Our attic (shown in the photo above) is a royal pain to get into. It has one of those pull-down staircases and really low rafters, so getting up there to retrieve anything, or move things around, or even just see what we had squirreled up there, is a huge production.
Like opening up an Egyptian tomb, the job was going to be messy, take time, and require care, thought, and attention. It would also deliver many pleasant and not-so-pleasant surprises.
Curious to know how we did it; what we did exactly to empty the space, process the stuff, and reduce the overwhelm?
I wrote all about it – about the small steps we took – in a photo essay here... which, btw, apply to any cluttered space – be it an attic, basement, garage, closet, or other overstuffed, funky, or neglected area of your home.
And there's more! Keep scrolling for two new goodies that will inspire delight in pruning: one is an article I published on Medium** about the spacious effects of moving things around. The other is a video I made that takes you on a romp of my home, life, and...clutter ;-) The links to both are below.
The last thing I'll say is that today is my birthday and I am awash in gratitude. Thank you all for joining me on this journey. Big or small, your conscious efforts to shine brightly do matter. Your clearing lifts us all. And while it may not feel like much
progress has been made sometimes, there is reason for hope. I can see the light nudging through, right where you are, working its magic.
Happy clearing!
Stephanie
Home Makeover:
Simple Steps that Cost Nothing and Change Everything
In the spirit of "what we did," you might enjoy this piece I wrote for Medium on how to upgrade your home (and life) by simply moving things around.
**And PS, even if you don't read it but would like to provide a service to me as new author on Medium, I invite you to "follow" me over there. Getting more followers leads to more eyeballs. And more eyeballs means more clearing ;-)
Photo by Stephanie Harvey
My October
Finding beauty in my home, life... and clutter!
Here's my latest one-second everyday video installment. This one showcases life with the people I love and wondrous surprise-encounters I had with people I don't even know! There's light and beauty everywhere and I've had so much fun trying to capture it! Enjoy.
Be sure to turn up the sound way up to enjoy the lively and uplifting music of Latin Jazz artist, Michel Camilo.
Clearing Online
Join over 225,000 participants!
Check out Stephanie's popular online courses on DailyOM designed to lift, lighten, and enlighten.
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A Year for You
Clearing the Spacious Way
If you could use a week of soulful nourishment, imagine what can happen when you take a whole year! This book gives you 52 weeks to tend, untangle and find your way home to you.
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A Year to Clear
Clearing from the Inside Out
Wonder how taking the smallest steps in clearing can lead to big, lasting changes? This book guides you the whole way, one day at a time.
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Your Spacious Self
Clearing made simple that lasts
Want to play a much bigger game with clearing clutter – be it physical, mental, or emotional? This book lays it all out.
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Stephanie Bennett Vogt is a leading space clearing expert, teacher, and author of five books and four online courses. She brings forty years of experience to SpaceClear, a practice she founded in 1996 helping homes and people come into balance.
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