Some say fall is the second new year. It’s a time to reset, refocus, and prepare for a new season. Recently I watched the Minimal Mom talk about how decluttering is like seeking out the gold in our homes. Like those who so many years ago panned for gold, we can remember this while we declutter. Panning for gold in our homes looks like finding the really good stuff. The stuff we use, love, the stuff that brings value to our lives. When we find the gold it becomes clear what’s not important, which makes it easier to let go. The past few weeks I’ve done this with my family. We have been Seeking Gold as we declutter and reset our home to Prep for Fall.
Seeking Gold
Seeking Gold is a change in mindset and has helped me let go of the stuff that just doesn’t matter. Instead of thinking: Should I let this go? What if I need it someday and don’t have it? I’ve been trying to think: Do I use this often? Does it bring me joy? Is it valuable to me? Seeking Gold takes us from a scarcity mindset to an abundance mindset. It’s looking for the valuable and letting everything else fall away.
As my family and I did this in our home, we simply went room to room and drawer to drawer looking for gold. I began with my closet, going through and finding my favorites, the things I feel good in. I let go of a few things I never felt quite right in. Then I showed my kids these things and told them why I no longer found them valuable.
Together, we went through each kid’s room, looking for the gold and then letting go of the things that got in the way of the kids enjoying the gold. Broken cars, books no longer read, random toys no longer loved.
I also went through the kitchen, our homeschool supplies, and some home decor items and let go of the things we no longer used or didn’t enjoy anymore. If I didn’t absolutely love an item, it went out the door. This may seem extreme, but I want our home to only include things serving us. Not the other way around. I don’t want to be a slave to our stuff and I want to enjoy the gold.
Seeking Gold Challenge
I challenge you to pick a drawer, a room, a closet, and use the Seeking Gold mindset to declutter. Begin with finding the gold: the stuff you really use, enjoy, and love. See what’s left and what you can let go of.
If letting go of stuff is stressful, try a Decide Later box. Place everything you aren’t sure about in the box, wait a few weeks or a month and see if it’s turned to gold by then. If not, it’s okay to let it go.
The fall is said to be a second new year. Let’s prepare for the changing of the seasons by seeking gold in our homes.