Since I am moving to Nashville on Saturday, I am dealing with stuff, clutter, prizes and tossing. Lots of people are out there spending their time figuring out the best gifts for the holidays; sending cards; having parties and cooking delicious foods.
Not me. I am preparing for my Christmas gift from my kids. They are coming Saturday morning to help me move to my new place in Nashville. All my kiddletts live in Nashville so it makes it doubly precious that this is their present to me. These are busy people, my kiddletts. And yet they got together and decided that the best gift they could give me this season was to get me packed, trucked, and unpacked and organized in my new place in time to celebrate the holidays together.
Top that for a present. Less stress for me and when I open my eyes I will be in the land of family.
Moving is stressful because you need to get all your stuff from one place to another. And in order to do that, you sort. Some of the sorting is through the clutter of what you might have tossed a long time ago. But these things that someone else might think of a clutter and stuff are your life prizes.
How about really mutilated ornaments that your kids did in preschool. I am not ever going to part with that kind of prize. Somewhere in all these years, I was smart enough to put dates on these things, so I really get it about how long I have had them. After touching them and living the memory they bring up, I just, again, carefully tuck them into a safe spot.
And of course I have clutter. I am a magnet for it. I create stress every day because I am a visual worker and learner – so everything must be visible for me to remember and to work on it. Things can tend to get topsy turvey in my office real fast.
Wonderful flip charts sheets filled with reminders; sayings; inspirational words etc ALL OVER MY WALLS. Then there are the business cards from networking events that I need to have in sight so I can finish the action steps of contacting people; scanning so my virtual assistant can get them in the contacts software and so I can write people personal notes. (BTW, the new way of not putting your physical address on your business card will keep you from getting any handwritten notes from me).
Then there are the articles I printed; the research I could not live without; the new books that will inspire me and my writing and etc etc etc.
Vicky White who is the decluttering expert of the world in my opinion, thinks we should declutter our space to reduce the chaos of the all the stuff distracting us while we work and think. She is so right. Sometimes with all the stuff out, I can easily go in circles because all I need to do is see the stuff and I am off with thoughts about how to market, write, inform, create a new product or how to bring this brilliant stuff to my clients.
It can be stressful and exhausting being a visual learner and worker.
I’ve learned that periodic swooping through the office and my home tidying up and putting away and letting go keeps me on track and clear clear clear on what is important.
So some stuff is clutter and some stuff are prizes and lots of it needs to be tossed.
Keep the memories that inspire you safely tucked away and do not be influenced that it is old and useless.
But sometimes, just toss some things to stay in practice. Dear Lord, you don’t have to move to get it done. Now that is stressful even when your kiddletts are helping.
While sorting, I found a lovely little note from my daughter from years ago. It felt like pure love in my hands. When I was done reading it, I folded it up and tucked it right back in the book where I had kept it for reading. One day I will find it again and it will feel like pure love again.
You know when you need to toss it. You also know when you need to keep it.
As you move through your holidays, toss the old stressful thoughts and judgments and keep the lovely “loving” ones so you can tuck them into a safe place for you…just cause.
Nashville will be my new home in 3 days. What adventures I have in store for me for my business and personal life. I will have less stuff to take with me, but all of it will be precious in my eyes.
All of my love to you and yours during these remarkable holidays.
Natalie,
Best of luck to you in your new home; Nashville is a beautiful city. Best wishes too for a healthy and happy holiday.
Meghan
Meghan, thanks so much for taking the time during this VERY busy season to wish me luck. I am in the middle of putting the office library into boxes. I need to not stop to read juicy sections of very inspiring information. 2014 is going to be a totally remarkable time…I hope you have a terrific holiday and a great beginning to 2014.
Blessings and love, Natalie
This is truly a gift of love, and I’m happy that you’ll be closer (literally) to your family…although farther from us. Best wishes in your move, your new adventures and all that awaits us in 2014! Merry Christmas!
Hello Carol – you are right total gift of love. Thanks for the note. Much love to you and your delightful soul.
Merry merry merry to everyday.
Much love, Natalie
Natalie , Dear You
Thank you for the gifts of your sharings over time !
Here’s to the Sacred Blessings of LIVING the very Spirit of Season.
I too am moving from apt to a rental house here in Knoxville .
My kids are coming down to help as well.
Every continued Sacred Blessing & Joy with you, your family and Life fully lived forward together.
Ibby, I am so excited for you. What a lovely gift from your kids. Merry Christmas to you and yours and deep blessings are you develop your loving Essence. Please stay in touch.
In your every breath – Source.
My love, Natalie
Natalie,
I can only imagine how happy and excited you are to be moving close to your beautiful family. Nashville’s gain is certainly East Tennessee’s loss. It’s sad for me that you’ll be so far away; but I am happy for you. You deserve the best that life has to offer. Best wishes to you and yours as you begin your new adventure!
Merry Christmas and much love,
Linda
Linda, how very sweet and heartfelt!! You are and will always be so very special to me. Come visit me cause your commitment to travel in 2014 just might include Nashville.
Be blessed and stay true to you beautiful self.
Much love and admiration, Natalie
How wonderful to be moving close to your kids, Natalie! I’m sorry Knoxville will lose you, but I know you’ll do great wherever you go. Given that you moved here so recently, maybe your cleaning out and packing won’t be so bad, right? RIGHT? Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with success and happiness!
Cindy
Hi Cindy, if you saw my office you would think I had been here for 10 years with all the research and the projects I have been working on. That is what a visual learner does. But I am having fun putting the final touches on the library and the sorting.
Come visit Nashville! Have a remarkable 2014 because you are a remarkable human.
Blessings, Natalie
Hi Natalie,
Best of luck with your move. I am a visual worker too, so I can understand. I’m also working on de-cluttering!
Happy New Year,
Linda
– Donald Nicole ~ Hope you enjoy your final sneek peeks I had to share a third one just so you could see Mr. B’s heart melting grin! What a precious little peanut he is!