The Incredible Lightness of Moving

I've sold my desk so I'm writing this sitting on a swiss ball with the keyboard on my lap, surrounded by boxes, baskets and just general chaos. In just a couple of days we'll be piling up all our worldly belongings into a transit van and driving off to start a new life.

This is a familiar sight - my husband and I have realised that this is our eleventh move in our 10 year relationship!

I think moving is in my blood - we moved about once a year from country to country when I was a child for my father's job. This nomadic way of life became the norm - we learned not to get too attached to anything, to make friends easily and to quickly absorb new languages and cultures.

And that has followed me into my adult life... Moving to me is always entwined with excitement - it's the chance to start afresh, to wipe the slate clean and to design a brand new life!

It's also the chance to have a look at all the things you own and to do a massive clear-out. It's sometimes hard to let go of things that have an emotional attachment (anything that my mum gave me for instance is sacred!), but I have a 'magic formula' that has really helped me to let go.

And it's this... ask yourself:

1. Do I need it?

2. Do I love it?

You have to be honest with yourself as you do this! Only keep something if you genuinely love it or need it. Everything else doesn't serve you.

In fact, it does the opposite - holding on to it it clogs up your life. It blocks the flow. If there is no space in your life, in your house or in your mind for anything new to come in, then the flow stops. You're filled up and there simpy isn't any room left for something better to come in. So you get stuck in a murky puddle of the old, stagnant and tired.

But letting go makes room for all the new and wonderful to flow into your life - new experiences, people, ideas and things.

And that brings an incredible feeling of lightness. Try it - perhaps with just one cupboard and see how you feel afterwards.

If you're holding on to something because someone gave it to you (like I do with anything from my mum!), ask their permission to let it go. Chances are they won't even remember giving it to you! You can also pass it on to someone special who you think would like it so it stays within your inner circle...

Let me know if you try out my magic formula! You'll hear from me next from my new desk in our new living room, starting my new life :-)