My Grandmother's cuckoo clock was a treasured item.
When I was a young girl, I was blessed with a wonderful Grandmother and I loved spending lots of time staying with her in her home. One of the things I remember very clearly about her apartment was the constant chirp of her cuckoo clock as it sounded out the hours. My Grandmother knew that I always liked to wind the clock and watch the bird come out to sing every hour. When my grandmother died, I inherited, among other things, that same cuckoo clock.
The truth is, as much as I loved my Grandmother, I found that as an adult I didn't really love that cuckoo clock as I did when I was young. I did use and appreciate other things that I inherited from her, like several pieces of furniture and some of her sewing supplies. Instead of giving the clock away to someone who would really enjoy its constant chirping, it stayed boxed up in our attic for many years. It was very difficult for me to give the clock away because I felt disloyal to my grandmother who had given it to me.
My Grandmother and me at the beach!
Peter Walsh, one of my favorite organizing gurus says, “We believe if we let go of the object, we will lose the memory. You need to shift your mindset...If someone has given you something, that person wants you to be happy before they want you to hold on to all of their stuff.” I’ve come to realize that releasing an object that has sentimental value doesn’t mean that I am losing the memory of the special person or event that is attached to it. If I’m not honoring the object that I’m holding on to by using it and enjoying it, it is better to give it away or sell it so that someone else can use it, and I’ll have more space for the things that fit my life.
Think about what things you are holding on to in your life that you don't really use or love. What is the source of the emotional attachment that is causing you to keep them? Consider releasing those things to free up emotional and physical room to "make space for life"!