Photo by Christopher Flynn on Unsplash
The period of Lent is here again. I was pondering about what to do this Lenten season when I came across a Facebook post by Joshua Becker, the Becoming Minimalist guy where he shared a blog article about decluttering during the season of Lent. Now how cool is that!
The Decluttering Challenge
Aptly titled The 40 Bags in 40 Days Decluttering Challenge, this is all about decluttering one area a day. The goal is to have one bin bag a day but one can have more or less (I guess it depends on what one is clearing out). It comes with a printable plan, Facebook group for support and an email course.
I’ve decided to take up the challenge because it’ll definitely motivate me to clear my “stuff”. I live with my parents and the house, most certainly my bedroom and home office, have plenty of areas that require attention!
Our mind and our physical environment
In fact, having been to friends’ homes which are neat and clutter-free, and looking at how they carry out their lives and the successes they have, I am quite certain there is a certain correlation between the two. I have read books, articles on how our external environment is a manifestation of our internal ‘environment’ ie our mind.
There have been plenty of times where I would stare at a cluttered area, feeling guilty that I didn’t ‘sort things out’ yet just too tired to even begin. But once I put my mind to it and cleared the space, like the area under my desk that was untouched for 15 years (I wished I had taken a before and after photo because the clean up was epic)… it just felt liberating. Don’t you just feel so good after clearing up a cluttered space? Isn’t it easier to find things, you get less stressed because you know where things are and visually, the area looks ‘right’?
Why Do this during Lent?
The whole experience is so cathartic. And I think Lent is about this too. In the Christian context, Lent is about fasting, praying and reflecting on the sacrifice that Christ made for us. By dying for our sins, Christ has given us a fresh start, a new beginning. And in that sense, decluttering is about letting go and having a fresh start.
So that’s why I’ve decided to take up The 40 Bags in 40 Days Challenge. I’ll likely document some of my progress in this blog so stay tuned!
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