Do Moving On and Decluttering Spark Joy?
I sat in my apartment, low on energy, wondering how I was going to get everything moved in three weeks. I probably have less stuff than most people, but it seemed like I still had mountains of stuff. It also seemed like there were mountains of tasks to accomplish.
In the beginning, I thought I would pack up everything and take it all with me. I got quotes from moving companies for moving to the Netherlands. The quotes were high. I figured, the cost to move the stuff was more than any of it was worth. I was stuck in indecision and needed inspiration so I watched YouTube videos of people de-cluttering and listened to the audio book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo.
I had never thought much about the things that took up my space. I usually went for the cheapest option over items that “sparked joy”. In fact, I hardly ever thought about an item sparking joy except perhaps for big things like a new MacBook Pro or iPhone or car. The little things were mostly just things that were useful. Yet the little things were what surrounded me day by day.
So I made a decision to take only the things that sparked joy. I began a new relationship with my things.
I was feeling exhausted and burnt out from recent busy and stressful events, so I went about this slowly. I told myself “just take one bag to the charity shop down the street” or “just take some photos for ebay”. I sold some stuff on ebay. I made many trips to the charity shop with bags of smaller items.
The bigger things that I couldn’t carry to the charity shop, like small furniture, electrical appliances, cookware, kitchen things and mason jars, I left out on the street with a “Free, please take” note attached to them. I’d leave the things out in the evening and by morning they were gone. It was a wonderful process and I felt joy in doing it because other people could make use of my useful things.
There were things that sparked joy for me that I couldn’t take, like my beautiful large indoor plants. These special friends, I left with an extra note asking that they be cared for. I was happy when I got a note back on one saying “thank you for the plant”.
I took all my unopened items of food to the food bank collection point at the supermarket. I threw out all my health supplements and “super foods”. I had bought into their promise of super health but they never delivered. In ridding myself of them, I felt like a huge weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
I packed everything down to about 15 boxes but still had the feeling it was way more than I wanted to take. I had a growing desire to travel light. I found a company called sendmybag.com that sends suitcases or boxes on ahead for a small cost, so I decided that I would use them and cull my things down to 5 bags. I thought about every item and asked myself “Does it spark joy?”.
In my new place, I promised myself, I would consider every item I brought into my space. I want to love the things that I use each day and that live in my space with me.
It was a wonderful purge and perhaps, related to what happened next. A week before I was due to fly out, I got sick with a stomach bug. I had fever and chills and risking too much information, the worst diarrhea I’ve ever had in my life!
I thought I was going to have to make new plans but I kept going. I still had things to get rid of. I still had cleaning to do. On the Friday before moving, the Sendmybag guy came to pick up my 2 bags and 3 boxes. I was feeling weak so I struggled to carry them down the stairs from my apartment into the hallway. I was supposed to carry them down to ground level but the guy kindly helped me on the last flight of stairs from the shared hallway to the courtyard. I was very grateful for him doing that.
All I had left was a large suitcase, a cabin bag and a laptop bag to take with me on the flight. I was flying out on the Monday. I stopped eating on Thursday evening, even though I wasn’t eating much anyway, because I wanted a rest from the diarrhea. I was still worried that I wouldn’t make it on my flight. I had to meet the agent at the new apartment on Monday. The bags and boxes I sent ahead were due to arrive on Tuesday.
My stomach settled for Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday, but on Sunday evening the diarrhea started up again. I wondered how it was possible that so much was coming out when nothing was going in. I was going to the toilet every 30 minutes during the night.
It was 03:30 on Monday morning and I was sitting on the toilet, head in hands, in a sad and sorry state. The taxi was due to arrive at 04:30. I figured the taxi ride was one hour so there was no chance I could make it if I had the runs every 30 minutes. Shitting in a field by the side of the road was not something I wanted to do. I said to the universe/god/source “If you want me to go then you’re going to have to make this stop! I need a miracle!”
Then it stopped. My stomach stopped churning. I got dressed. I felt fine. I made it to the taxi. The taxi driver helped me with my bags both from the apartment and also found me a trolley at the airport. On the drive to the airport, my stomach was quiet, but a little tender. It was still quiet as I waited at the airport for my flight. A kind man helped me put my cabin bag in the overhead locker. I was fine on the flight, apart from feeling tired and very weak.
At Schiphol airport, the taxi driver helped me with my bags and even carried them up the stairs to the door of my new apartment when we arrived. I was so thankful. I met the agent and got the keys. The bags I sent ahead with sendmybag.com arrived that afternoon just before the diarrhea came back.
I set up camp on the floor of the living room. I was weak and exhausted. I had planned to go to the supermarket for the essentials that afternoon but all I could do was lay on my little makeshift floor bed. A friend brought me some groceries that evening. It was very kind and touched my heart. I had received so much kindness from strangers and friends. I felt so lucky, so grateful and very happy for all the help I’d gotten. I thought, this is surely love!
Over the next few days, I rested, ate simple vegetable soups, drank plenty of water, and recovered from the illness. I’d often look around my new space and think “Wow, what an adventure. I made it!”
So does moving on spark joy? I would say a resounding YES, even when I’m sick to my stomach and battling the craziness of moving. Cutting down on my ‘stuff’ has certainly helped me feel more alive and well mentally, even if it took awhile to get back there physically ;).
