How to Be Aerodynamic

Life can come at you fast–along with corresponding space debris and shrapnel.  You can duck and cover (not a bad idea) or you can space cowboy your way through it.

Travelling light.

To navigate with speed and precision it helps to travel light.  This principle applies to life; however, life adds up, as evidenced by all your stuff.

The weight of life.

Is your life weighing you down?  Look around your place.  Do you feel comfortable and peaceful?  Yes?  Great.

If not, do you feel a low grade stress or tension as you look around?   Over time, the layers of your life add up.  Eventually, your life will outgrow your space.

Becoming aerodynamic.

If you have too much stuff for too little space, you need to make room for more of your life: you need to become more aerodynamic.

How do you become aerodynamic?

Get rid of stuff.  Sounds simple, but what if you’re overwhelmed?

Identify items to unload.  This is where you start.  You can go by category or geography (room by room).

Be practical.  How often do you use the item?  Do you have duplicates, or more?

Be objective.  Be aware of emotional attachment and keep it in perspective.

Be beautiful.  You should surround yourself with beauty even when you’re aerodynamic.  If something is beautiful and fits in your space, then keep it.

I can’t do this!  I’m not meant to be aerodynamic.

What if you’re wandering around looking at your stuff and unable to do anything with it?

Pretend you’re moving.  Sort through your belongings, organize and streamline.  Use boxes and large garbage bags for everything to be re-homed.

This stuff is too awesome to toss!

Sell the awesome stuff.  Have a garage sale, get a table at a flea market, post items for sale online.

Donate new or gently used items.  Bring items to a charity, shelter or church.  Some organizations are able to pick up donations, so call around if transportation is an issue.

But everything holds memories!

Your memories are within you; they’re not locked in physical items.  Pick some items that have sentimental value and streamline the rest.  Your special items will become special to someone else.

But these were gifts!

You have to keep gifts, right?  Not if you don’t have enough space.  Nobody wants you to be weighed down by a gift.  All the love and memories will still be with you.

But these cost a lot!

Yes, but if you’re not using them and they don’t add beauty then they belong elsewhere.

Consider as well: how much is a more streamlined and peaceful space worth to you?  How about the value of more space, period?

Same principles apply to everything that was such a good deal!

No, I still can’t do this!

If you can’t part with anything, consider a storage locker.  Streamline your living space and pack up excess stuff for storage.  After a time, you’ll probably find that you can sell or donate items from your storage.

No….

Okay, box up items and keep them out of the way.  When you can’t remember what’s in them you’re ready to part with them.

I’m having a panic attack!

If you’re experiencing a disproportionate level of anxiety, then pick one item.  Just one.  Re-home that item: sell it, donate it, leave it on a park bench for someone to delight in finding.

Then pick another item.  Re-home that item.   You will become more aerodynamic one item at a time.

Beauty will expand.

The more aerodynamic you are, the more room you will have for your life.  Your life will expand into the space you create, including all the beauty that is meant for you.