{"id":5058,"date":"2013-12-27T12:36:20","date_gmt":"2013-12-27T17:36:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/?p=5058"},"modified":"2013-12-23T15:06:06","modified_gmt":"2013-12-23T20:06:06","slug":"what-you-dont-need","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2013\/12\/what-you-dont-need.html","title":{"rendered":"What You Don\u2019t Need"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"pink<\/a>At the end of every year, I clean and get rid of everything I can to make room for more good stuff. The first time I did it, was hard. As I looked at all my stuff, how could I know what to get rid of?<\/p>\n

I could give things I didn\u2019t need to people who could appreciate having them. That in itself is a good motivation to give things away. Do I really need 3 apatulas when someone may have none? My old sweater from high school could keep someone warm. I had lots of things that other people could use! I got busy going through my things.<\/p>\n

As I pondered how to decide what could go, it hit me. I had to have a good reason to keep each item. Now I go through my apartment, drawer-by-drawer, closet by close, shelf by shelf, I pick up each thing and ask some of these important questions:<\/p>\n

\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Why do I have it?
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Did someone meaningful give it to me?
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Do I like it?
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0Does it hold a good memory?
\n\u2022\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0What do I need it for?<\/p>\n

Truthfully I was shocked to recognize how much I could easily get rid of. I had many things that had become like fixtures that I got used to seeing but didn\u2019t have a use for. Did I really need to keep the decorative bowl my old neighbor brought me from her vacation? Or old lipsticks I never wore? I even looked through piles of photos, asking if needed 2 of the same people or ones of people who mean nothing to me. I didn\u2019t need pictures that didn\u2019t make me smile to look at them or ones of me that I hated. Many got thrown out.<\/p>\n

Slowly I questioned my possessions, one at a time, and filled up trash bags and bags of things to give away. It was a relief to make space. Cleaning out your things is freeing and can help you feel in control. Starting the New Year with room or new goodies is a lovely ritual to develop.\u00a0 Make room for new stuff in 2014!
\n**************<\/p>\n

Join the Self-Love Movement\u2122<\/strong><\/a>! Take the 31 Days of Self-Love Commitment<\/strong><\/a>—\u201cI commit to do my best to do something loving for myself, however big or small, for the first 31 days of 2014.\u201d<\/strong>\u00a0and get my book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways<\/a><\/strong> for free at http:\/\/howdoiloveme.com<\/a><\/strong>. Read my 2013 31 Days of Self-Love Posts HERE<\/strong><\/a>. Join the Self-Love Movement\u2122<\/strong><\/a>! on Facebook<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At the end of every year, I clean and get rid of everything I can to make room for more good stuff. The first time I did it, was hard. As I looked at all my stuff, how could I know what to get rid of? I could give things I didn\u2019t need to people…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":83,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,15],"tags":[830,545],"class_list":["post-5058","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-self-empowerment-confidence","category-self-love-acceptance","tag-clearing-your-life","tag-clutter"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat You Don\u2019t Need - Lessons from a Recovering Doormat<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/lessonsfromarecoveringdoormat\/2013\/12\/what-you-dont-need.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What You Don\u2019t Need - Lessons from a Recovering Doormat\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"At the end of every year, I clean and get rid of everything I can to make room for more good stuff. 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Daylle's books have been translated into over 10 languages and are popular around the world. She speaks for colleges, organizations and corporations. Through her company, Project Self-Empowerment, Daylle creates programs and materials to help people empower themselves. One goal is to raise the money to self-publish her book, How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways and give it away for free in colleges and through organizations, to give thanks for all her blessings. 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