Senior Move Manager Kirsten Awe has helped hundreds of clients downsize their belongings and move into smaller homes. Letting go of things is always one of the most difficult parts of downsizing, but Kirsten reaches back to her father’s wisdom to help her clients gain perspective on what matters the most.
Pro Advice: What’s Growing in Your Garden?
“I grew up on a farm, and one of the things my dad taught me was that a weed is not defined by what it looks like, but by where it is and what it does. If something is growing where it should not be or where you don’t want it…it’s a weed.” According to Merriam-Webster, a plant that is not valued where it is growing and is usually of vigorous growth; especially: one that tends to overgrow or choke out more desirable plants is a weed.
The real problem with weeds is, that even when they are healthy or attractive, they take up valuable space! Weeds usually don’t serve a purpose and can become quite a nuisance…even to the point of injuring or taking over the desired plants in your garden.
The weed analogy holds true when we think about sorting belongings when you’re decluttering or downsizing. The garden is your home. What are you willing to let live in your garden?
Keep these basic questions in mind as you are “weeding” through your belongings:
- Does this serve a purpose?
- Is it taking the place of something that is more valuable or special to me?
- Is this worth the space, time, the energy it is taking up?
- Is this item inexpensive, and something that I can get anywhere, at any time?
It’s hard sometimes to figure out what are weeds and what are flowers. Yes, some weeds are beautiful, but we need to be careful: If we treat everything as a flower, soon our garden will be overtaken. Just because something is beautiful doesn’t mean it deserves your attention or resources. Always be mindful of what you allow in your garden.
Kirsten Awe is a Senior Move Manager and the owner of Rightsize Moving Solutions in Wichita KS.
