Organize And Downsize

Locked Up - They Won’t Let Me Out

As we hear news in Richmond, VA that the city will be on lockdown until at least May 28th, 2020, some may feel discouraged. We may be forced to consider the fact that this date could be pushed back yet again. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that people are eager to partake in activities outside of the home.

Something we have heard a lot of since working from home is the lack of space some of us have in which to do our work. Fortunately, a few of us are prepared with an extra bedroom or an at-home office. Others have had to pull out a folding table or transform their dining room. Even then, we may have children to accommodate and pets that want our attention. All of this is a perfect concoction for cabin fever and claustrophobia.

Thinking on the positive side, working from home has given many of us the opportunity to see family and pets more often, spend less time in the car paying for gas, and possibly have more time to get things done. I know all of these are true for me. It was great to see that people are using the extra time to clean up around the house and take care of those long-neglected projects. But that only took up so much time. A lot of us are in the home stretch, but have run out of meaningful things to do to pass the time.

What To Do With All the Free Time

Being in isolation is starting to get pretty old for some of us. After organizing everything in the house three times over, we may have fallen into a rut of watching Netflix and scrolling through social media. Don’t run out of steam yet!

Now is a great time to volunteer or donate some unused items. After organizing your stuff, analyze all of its uses and determine if it should be taking up space in your life anymore. Some of us do this yearly with clothes, but this goes for just about anything in the house. Are there cans of food in the back of your cabinet you know you will never eat? Do you have any books or movies that are collecting dust on shelves? For those with children, do you have any toys that can be passed onto the next child?

Maybe this is just a dumbed-down version of Marie Kondo’s breakthrough method of determining the usefulness of our belongings. If you haven’t yet looked into it, now’s the time! Before we know it, we will get back into the swing of things and have no time to take on this task. While we can, let's try to get rid of some of the junk that's only weighing us down. With lots of people being out of work, the need is high. Not to mention, it feels great to give back.

Why Now?

In addition to providing us with a meaningful way to spend on our extra time in quarantine, taking the time to assess your stuff can help others in need. People are always in need of food and clothes in our country and around the world. Unused supplies and lightly used items can improve the quality of life for many of our neighbors (paper, school supplies, etc). Right now, in particular, people are in need of something positive.

Just today, I was able to drop off clothes, shoes, and books to the local GoodWill. Check their website for hours and locations near you. Their efforts to remain open despite COVID-19 has been due to their employment programs. These workers are bettering their lives with every shift they attend. This is how you can contribute to the flow of kindness and positivity.

I hope this has inspired a burst of energy in you. Don’t give up on yourself during isolation. You will thank yourself later.