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I think it was while reading one of organizer Marie Kondo’s books when I first heard the concept of expressing gratitude for the place your possessions held in your life. And not just the things that you used all the time, but the things you were planning on getting rid of.
This was an unusual concept for me. I grew up with parents who believed you should hold onto everything. Keep that card because someone thought of sending it to you. Hold onto that raincoat your great-aunt gave you … but that you outgrew in fifth grade … because it was a gift. Use that itchy blanket that was a hand-me-down from a relative who downsized because that saves us money.
Possessions were obligations whether they were bought, gifted, or passed along. We had to use them for a while before they were packed up and stored in the attic. (Where they were rearranged so more stuff could be stored up there … until it came time to empty my parents’ house.
Stress and Gratitude
Decluttering can feel overwhelming. So much stuff! So many decisions to make! But you can’t express gratitude if you feel stressed. Expressing gratitude for your possessions can be a litmus test to know that you are making calm and confident decisions.
Also, by expressing gratitude, you are further emphasizing why something no longer has a place in your home and life.
When to Thank Your Belongings
When you are using something, you can express your gratitude for the place it has in your life. Out of everything you have ever owned, this thing is useful. Chances are that it has characteristics you enjoy.
In fact, you can look at the things you enjoy and question what makes them something you wear, read, display, use, etc. These can be clues into the types of things you want to surround yourself with. (Which also gives you clues into what you don’t care all that much for.)
When you pick up that well-read book, you could thank the author for writing something that brings you such enjoyment or fresh insights every time you read it. You could thank the physical item for holding up to multiple readings. You could even be thankful for having the time or cozy space to read that book.
Expressing your gratitude can be a quick acknowledgement that this item has a meaningful place in your life. A purely practical item may make your life a bit easier because of its design. Something you display may make you smile when you look at it.
How to Practice Gratitude with Your Possessions
This can be a simple but specific observation of what the item does for you.
I appreciate how this vase makes me smile every time I look at it. I’m grateful to know that someone else can use this.
Thank you for being sturdy and long-lasting.
I appreciate learning that this isn’t a hobby that I want to pursue.
I’m grateful for how warm this sweater keeps me.
Being Grateful, Even When You Find Decluttering Challenging
Do you feel an emotional tug encouraging you to hold onto an item even though you no longer use it, and it no longer feels important for you? Part of you knows that you could declutter this item or that, but you’re worried that you’ll miss owning it.
By expressing your gratitude for the part that the items had in your life, you may be helping yourself to let it go. You’re acknowledging that it had a place in your life. But you are also putting into words the way you are done with this thing, how it no longer aids you or delights you
What Decluttering Can Teach You
While you can look at the items you are keeping and find characteristics of what you enjoy, the items you are decluttering also have a lesson for you. As you pack these items for donation, you can thank them for these lessons.
One, it is easier to let go of these things, because you can see that they had a use in your life and that they have served their purpose. Two, you can see the items, characteristics, or qualities that you don’t want in your home or life.
Owning these items (even if you never used them), taught you a lesson that can benefit you from now on.
For example, as you look through the clothing you have in a “maybe” or a “donate” pile, you see a lot of light grays. You realize that you feel drab wearing gray. This encourages you to move these items into a bag of items you’ll be donating.
With this insight in mind, you look for other light gray items that you had talked yourself into holding onto. You decide to donate these as well. The next time you are browsing in a store, and you see an incredible deal on the clearance rack, you can remember your insight into wearing light gray.
You can express gratitude to those garments for teaching you that you don’t like wearing light gray. Even if you never wore them, you can now see that they served their purpose.
Instead of returning these items to your closet, while convincing yourself that you should hold onto them because you could wear them, you can be grateful for the small lesson you’ve learned.
The Benefits of Giving Away Things
Donating items or giving them away allows other people to find the items and bring them into their lives. They can feel grateful for getting something they needed without spending any or much money.
And you can feel grateful for having a bit more space in your home while helping someone else.
Feeling Grateful While Decluttering
Stating why you feel grateful for your possessions can help you verbalize why you want to keep something … or why you are ready to let it go.
If you are keeping something, you can look for the characteristics that make it something that you use and like. Thank the item for making your life a bit easier and more enjoyable.
If you are considering letting go of something, why is that? Thank the item for teaching you this lesson.
Consider how you can use the knowledge of what you like and what you don’t to guide future decluttering projects … as well as future shopping trips (you may have a better sense of what you’ll actually use.
And since you can’t express gratitude while feeling stressed, your ability to thank items for their time in your life can indicate your confidence in choosing what to do with those things.
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