Not long ago I wrote about a new chapter, which included moving to a new town. I was excited and scared all at the same time.

Perhaps I need not be scared anymore; for now, I am not moving.

But when I thought I was moving, I started packing, and I am going to do my best to not unpack. Whatever I need I will hunt for the box, pull it out, and leave the remaining stuff in the box. I have discovered some things this week that I did not think I would experience, but I am glad I did.

When I thought I would be moving later this year, I went into getting rid of things. I gave away my empty flowerpots (no worries, Shirley, I won’t ask for them back), and I put items on FB Marketplace in hopes of selling them, only to later delete them and instead donate them while keeping others. What I did not expect was the way I felt when I emptied my apartment of them.

I felt an inward freedom of not seeing them anymore, not feeling remorse of getting rid of them. For example, I was not looking forward to going through my closet, as it was so packed with clothes, and items I have not used in years, but I did, and my closet is about 80 percent empty now. To see all that empty space is exhilarating. Many was donated, while others are in boxes as well as the shoes, and I felt so good about that. The feeling I felt as I emptied my spaces surprised me. I felt the same way when I put my large bookcase out (when someone picked up rather quickly), while I donated other items. Then I rearranged my living room, and without those items I disposed of made the room look so much better. Now I understand why people are minimalists while others do all they can to declutter. There is joy that is felt when you experience that less is more.

I plan that I will not fill up the closet or buy more shoes (well, I don’t know about the shoes part), but for now, I am enjoying the freedom of seeing empty closets, neater storage areas, and throwing out stuff I haven’t used in years. I think I am moving on from being a pack rat to a decluttered semi-minimalist.

May be a bit of a change, but it’s one that does my heart good.