C.J. Braden • 5 Minute Read
Many people have numerous “things” taking up lots of precious space in their homes. Often times the items have some sort of sentimental meaning, making them hard to get rid of. If this is the case, it may be time for you to truly do something difficult and let it go.
I fully believe in the thought that if something stays in a box, basement or attic space and doesn’t ever see the light of day anymore OR if it doesn’t bring you joy, it’s time to let it go.
Read on to learn how to let things go and move on.
Let it go
You’ll need to start by doing an inventory of what you need to get rid of and then decide to either sell or donate the items. Before moving to our new home in a new state, my husband and I donated and sold many things. After our move, we realized that we still needed to get rid of more.
My husband and I often list things on eBay, use Facebook Marketplace or other selling sites like Poshmark. We do the research before listing it by looking to see what has actually sold and for how much, as you can filter to find these results on most selling sites. Based on our findings, we decide it if we should sell or donate it.
If we choose to sell something, we always know it may take a while, but it will more than likely eventually sell. Sometimes you have to just be patient. If you have been patient or just don’t have the time, it may be a good choice to donate the items.
Stacked and Balanced Rocks on a Beach
When I donate items, I think about which organization or business could use the item the most. For example, if you have some nice business attire you don’t wear anymore, Dress for Success is a great option. Look for local businesses or charities that could get the most use out of your old “things” before choosing to simply throw things away.
White and Airy Meditation Space
If you are unsure if you should get rid of something, I always “pray on it”. I pray or meditate often to help me figure out how to navigate through any “problems” I may have.
Here’s my story on how I prayed my way through figuring out how to donate my grandmother’s china set recently.
I recently donated my grandmother’s china set to a local ice cream shop. The shop serves all the ice cream in china, making it always feel like a special treat.
Pink ice cream scoops
The story behind my donation, however, was worth telling, as I know lots of people may not be able to wrap their head around giving something away like a china set that belonged to a cherished family member. Believe me when I say this: It wasn’t easy, but I’ve come to realize that many of the items we have in our homes are just “things”.
Noritake Dresala China Set
The Dresala Noritake hand painted floral china set was beautiful, delicate and perfect. It belonged to my Nani (my maternal grandmother). She treasured this set so much, as it was her wedding china from the 1940’s. She kept it in a dresser drawer, only using it several times throughout her life. When she died in 2006, I inherited the set. While it was beautiful, it wasn’t quite my style. I also had my own wedding dish set too.
After going to a local ice cream shop several times, I saw all the beautiful china pieces (that were actually being used!). I truly felt my Nani’s china belonged there. She loved a particular ice cream parlor in Kentucky (where we are from) and this shop reminded me of going to that shop with my Nani as a child.
I prayed and prayed on it, as I truly wanted to do what my Nani would have wanted. It has been hard to let many of her treasured items go, but I fully believe that if something isn’t being used and it’s not bringing you joy, it’s time to let it go.
Donating my grandmother’s wedding china to the shop
When I started to see other customers donating china and other items to the shop, I knew it was the right time to let it go. I contacted the owner and she and her husband were happy to add it to their collection so it could actually be used!
My grandmother’s scrapbook entry
The day after donating the set, I was organizing some old photo albums and scrapbooks (as we moved from Kentucky to Florida in 2020 and still are in the process of organizing our house). One of the scrapbooks opened to the back page, and I saw my Nani had written some personal things about herself.
She recorded her name, address, hobbies, likes, dislikes and more. My eyes were drawn to her “likes” as I read that her very first one listed was ICE CREAM. I knew at that exact moment that her china set is definitely in the right place! It will be used, as intended, to serve my Nani’s favorite thing-ice cream.
Let it go written in sand on a beach
Sometimes you’ll get a quick confirmation that you did the right thing with your unwanted items, and other times, you may not. Regardless, if you feel in your heart that it’s time to let something go, I feel it’s exactly what you should do.
C.J. Braden is a regular contributor for Carolyn’s Blooming Creations. She has been featured in numerous media publications such as InStyle Magazine, on HGTV, on Bustle.com, and more. She is the author of the books Georgia McMasters in Amethyst Lake Cemetery, How To Be Yourself: 3 Little Ways to Get Back To You Being You, and the illustrator for the children’s book Bridging Connections. She is a former classroom teacher that now dedicates her life to educating others on how to live their most healthy, creative and happy life. Learn more about her by clicking here.