When you walk into a space, what do you see? Are the floors and surfaces filled with things? Is the space completely empty? Is it somewhere in between? How does it make you feel? Upon entering, do you feel anxious or relaxed? Is the space welcoming or does it make you want to turn away and leave?

Spaces affect our moods. It has everything to do with what is and isn’t in them. Lately, I’ve been thinking about filling and emptying rooms and how the mood of the space changes with the movement of objects.

Back in the fall, we moved our youngest daughter into her college dorm. Since she was the first to arrive, the suite was empty. No possessions occupied the space. As she unpacked, the space transformed as her belongings took their places. The space continued to fill as each suitemate arrived. Clear areas quickly became cluttered.

Nine months later, spring came as Cassie’s freshman year ended. We went to pick her up. She was the last roommate to leave and was all packed when we arrived. The space, which had been filled by six people, was once again empty. The stuff and clutter was gone.

So, what does this have to do with you? You are probably not moving in and out of dorm rooms. You do, however, have the opportunity to start with a clean slate and consider your spaces. You can think about how you’d like them to look and feel. Are they more cluttered than you want? If so, this can be your time to clear and release. Are you ready for a change?  If so, this can be your time to transform your spaces into welcoming, beautiful places.

What can you imagine? Where will you begin?

My least favorite space in the home is the garage. Specifically, I don’t like to enter our garage. Sometimes I think of it as the abyss. Things enter and never leave. Well, that’s not exactly true. In the twenty-plus years that we’ve lived here, the garage has been cleared and decluttered many times.

There have been points when I’ve enjoyed going in there. It was time once again to evaluate the piles that had accumulated. This was one of my spring goals. It was time to face the clutter.

Yesterday was a gorgeous spring day. It was warm and sunny. I spent the first part of my day working indoors, but then took an outdoor lunch break at the river with my husband, Steve. As we relaxed and ate in the sun, the last thing I wanted to do was leave the river and organize the garage. I procrastinated as long as possible, but Steve eventually encouraged me to go.

Back home, I stood in the garage and looked at all the stuff. I tried not to get overwhelmed. I told myself that I would only work for a few hours and accomplish as much as possible within that time. Then I’d stop. To brighten up the atmosphere, I turned on the lights and opened the garage door to let in natural light. I began in one area, evaluating only my items. Steve promised to organize his stuff at another time.

I asked myself questions like:

• Do I need this anymore?

• Is it just taking up space?

• If I released it, what would happen if I needed it someday?

I was ruthless. I began making piles of items to donate, things to recycle, items to consolidate or go elsewhere, and things for the trash. In a short time, I saw progress. It felt good. I thought, “Hey, this isn’t so bad. It’s actually kind of fun.”

The organizing was intermingled with some welcome interruptions. A friend stopped to chat while riding by on his bike. There were many phone calls from family and friends, and a few snack breaks. After several hours, I had items to donate to Goodwill, lots of things to recycle, a few bags of trash, and most importantly... space! I swept the floor and dropped off the items to donate.

Reflecting on it, there were a few things I did that helped me tackle the clutter. They could help you too. They were:

• Scheduled time – set a date with self in the calendar to address the clutter

• Established parameters – decided how many hours I would work, and with the concept of stopping when it was “good enough”

• Created optimal working environment – made sure there was enough light; playing music might have been effective too

• Asked questions – this helped me to be honest and ruthless

• Allowed breaks – the work was less intimidating because I allowed for some “fun” breaks with people and refreshments

• Appreciated the process and result – took time to enjoy the work and admire the progress

What spring organizing projects are on your to-do list? What is the next single step that will move you forward?

Letting go creates both physical and emotional space. It also encourages growth. When we allow our unwanted belongings to be released, our spaces become less cluttered. In turn, we feel more supported being surrounded only by beautiful, useful, and meaningful things. We experience less stress. When we let go of ideas that don’t serve us well, we allow space for clarity and growth.

There is also the letting go we experience as parents. It seems like moments ago when our youngest daughter, Cassie, was ready to leave for her first year of college.

As I grappled with becoming an empty nester and realized that life as we knew it was about to change, I began reading Letting Go – A Parent’s Guide to Understanding the College Years by Karen Levin Coburn and Madge Lawrence Treeger. I thought it might provide some comfort and insight into this new experience. Cassie saw the book on my nightstand and asked me why I was reading it. Or in her words, “What’s up with this, Mom?” I explained that her going to college was a significant change in our lives and that reading the book might help me better understand this new stage. She responded, “Why do you have to let go? College is just borrowing me for a bit.”

“Be open and let go. Embrace your growth.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

To some degree, she was right. Very soon, she will return home for the summer. So, in a sense, college did “borrow” her for many months. But I realize that letting go didn’t mean cutting all ties, as she was thinking about. Instead, it meant letting go of the dynamic that had existed, being open to this shift, stepping back enough to give Cassie more independence, and embracing a new stage of our lives.

It has been a fantastic year. I’ve watched Cassie grow as she’s taken charge of her life and college experience. I, too, have experienced growth as I’ve pursued new projects, pushed myself beyond my comfort zone, and nurtured relationships with family and friends.

If you are grappling with letting go, whether it’s clothing, papers, memorabilia, or children, recognize that it might be uncomfortable as you shift from what you know towards a new dynamic. That discomfort is a necessary part of the process. Growth and clarity are waiting for you on the other side of the uncomfortable. Be open and let go. Embrace your growth.

Things are blooming and shifting. Spring turns much of our thoughts and actions to change and letting go. Some are clearly visible like our renewed focus on decluttering our spaces. Some are internal like our struggle to release the unessential. Letting go can be looked at from many perspectives including attitude, balance, bravery and possibilities. I compiled some favorite quotes from my collection to encourage a conversation about letting go.

ATTITUDE - Letting go of the familiar or sentimental can be challenging. Nourishing our thoughts with an open attitude can make all the difference.

 “When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.”

- Alexander Graham Bell

 “It’s not the daily increase but daily decrease. Hack away at the unessential.”

- Bruce Lee

BALANCE - Letting go doesn’t have to be all or nothing. Think about finding a comfortable “letting go” balance by evaluating what’s essential from what is holding you back emotionally or physically.

“A big part of letting go is recognizing when it is time to stay in a situation and when it is time to move one.”

- Darren L. Johnson

“The art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on.”

- Havelock Ellis

BRAVERY - Letting go can be scary. It takes a dose of bravery and perhaps some deep breaths to allow room for growth.

“Courage is the power to let go of the familiar.”

- Raymond Lindquist

“Think about any attachments that are depleting your emotional reserves. Consider letting them go.”

- Oprah Winfrey

POSSIBILITIES - Letting go is about change and growth. When we let ourselves venture forth, we move out of our own way to set the stage for positive outcomes.

“Every exit is an entry somewhere.”

- Tom Stoppard

“When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

- Lao Tzu

Have you encountered any successes or challenges with letting go?  What’s possible for you now?