There is nothing more liberating than clearing a room, or home, or office or 6500 square foot commercial property.

So far in my life I can count the times I’ve moved on one hand – from my teenage bedroom to my first house, from that small 3 bedroom house to a two story home, from a single 800 square foot office space to a 6500 square foot commercial property. Each move has been progressively larger, more expansive, until today. Some call it downsizing, others call it restructuring, I simply call it focusing on what’s important, where my heart is. My latest shift from the luxurious office building far too weighty for my needs to a home office is my latest endeavor to clear space. And it’s not at all what you may think.

Storage unit businesses were designed for people going through transitions like this. I also know what happens when people move their belongings away from sight…furniture becomes moth ridden, artwork becomes forgotten, documents become neglected and eventually the lot is sold off to the highest bidder. (If you watch the show Storage Wars, you know exactly what I mean.) The storage unit industry was designed for people who can’t let go.

When my recent move from the mansion of office buildings to a more conservative living space became inevitable I vowed that I wouldn’t a) spend the money on a storage unit, and b) would prune and purge enough to at least get everything in my home. And let me tell you there were many creative opportunities in that process. Craig’s List, open house sales, donations to schools and students and even a few unexpected last minute angels arrived to clear the last of the big stuff. Yes, my home is a wreck right now. The tower of bankers boxes is quite intimidating and with the amount of chairs in my home we could host a rather large soiree. But I would rather have everything crowding my living quarters than shove belongings in a closet 50+ miles away. For me, the inability to park my car in the garage is a much bigger incentive to clear the space than the comfort of a 8′ steel box somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

So yes, the second phase of clearing space is a monolithic task. It’s also staring right in front of me everyday. What better way to remind me of my priorities.

Inside every storm of pruning and purging, we find the peace of letting go.