Moving Forward: Letting Go of the Extra Weight
After living in the same house for over 30 years, moving to a new area is both exciting and overwhelming. It’s not just about packing boxes—it’s about sorting through decades of memories, belongings, and emotions. While going through this process, I’ve realized how much extra “weight” I’ve been carrying, both physically and emotionally.
Moving Forward And Letting Go
Packing for a Journey: More Than You Need
I’ve always been a bit of an over-packer. When I used to travel, especially early on in my blogging journey, I was notorious for bringing way too much. For a three-day trip, I might have two large suitcases, a carry-on bag, and an oversized handbag stuffed to the brim. Shoes, clothes, makeup—you name it, I packed it.
I remember one trip to Las Vegas where my suitcase was overweight, and the airline was going to charge me a hefty penalty. Instead of paying it, I found myself at the airport with my suitcase wide open, dragging out shoes and bottles of skincare for everyone to see. The irony is; I didn’t need half of what I packed. I only have two feet, so why did I bring ten pairs of shoes? Sound familiar?
Now, as my home is being packed up, I feel like I’m back at that airport, only this time, the stakes are much higher. Years of accumulated belongings are spread out before me, and I realize just how much I’ve been holding onto that I no longer need.
Clutter in Our Homes and Hearts
A few years ago, Joe and I painted the inside of our home. We cleared out rooms to make space for the painters, and in the process, we discovered just how much unnecessary “stuff” we had. Things we didn’t even know we owned. Things we didn’t need.
As each room was decluttered, a shift happened—not just in our home but in our hearts. The space felt lighter, and so did we. It was as though clearing the clutter cleared our minds, too.
I realize now that moving is giving me a similar opportunity. It’s not just about deciding what to take with me physically—it’s about letting go of the emotional and spiritual baggage that’s been weighing me down.
What’s Weighing You Down?
We all carry extra weight, and I’m not just talking about things in boxes or closets. For some of us, it’s emotional or spiritual baggage—negative thoughts, unresolved guilt, or the constant need to compare ourselves to others.
Comparison is a heavy load. Trying to keep up with the Joneses can lead to debt, stress, and even strain on relationships. Negativity and worry take up mental space, leaving little room for hope and joy.
Throwing Off the Weight
The Bible reminds us to let go of the things that hold us back:
Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
God doesn’t want us dragging unnecessary weight through life. He calls us to throw off everything that hinders us so we can run our race with endurance. Moving is my chance to do just that—to leave behind not just physical clutter but the emotional and spiritual baggage that no longer serves me.
Embracing the New
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”
Leaving a home you’ve lived in for over 30 years is hard. It’s full of memories, comfort, and familiarity. But God promises to do something new in our lives if we’re willing to let go of the past and embrace His plans for our future.
Pack Light for the Journey
Instead of dragging around every burden and worry, Jesus invites us to lay them down:
Matthew 11:28 (NIV)
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
This move is teaching me to pack lighter—not just for the physical journey but for the spiritual one. I’m learning to leave behind the comparison, the negativity, and the fears of the unknown. Instead, I want to carry faith, hope, and trust in God’s plan.
What About You?
What’s weighing you down today? Maybe it’s not a physical move, but are there things in your life—habits, worries, or doubts—that you need to let go of? Open the “suitcase” of your life, pour everything out on the floor, and ask God what’s worth keeping.
To God Goes The Glory!
Have A Blessed Day!
Let’s End with a Prayer
Lord, thank You for the reminder that we don’t have to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. Help us to identify the things that are weighing us down, both physically and spiritually, and give us the courage to let them go. As we step into new seasons of life, remind us that You are always doing a new thing and that we can trust You with our journey. Help us to pack light, carrying only the faith, hope, and love You have given us. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Hi Tania
We are in the same place. We have six children who either left things when they came to stay asked us to store stuff or we inherited for relative who passed away. so am bury taking photos of ” is this yours and do you want it” daunting task! so my sympathies are with you
Really enjoyed your perspective and the spiritual verses tied into the topic. I will use both to lighten my loads.
I am going through the decluttering process now. I have Christmas decorations for at least three household’s and only own one. Will be donating a lot of things I have not used in years.
Happy packing and decluttering. I recently helped my parent (in their mid-80s) move from their home of 36 years into a much smaller home. It was a tough but rewarding process.
Excellent post! I have been moving towards minimalism for a while and it has made a big impact on all areas of my life.
Well said. Thank you for this and Happy Thanksgiving!
What a great Word! You need to add to write a devotional. ♥️
Happy Thanksgiving 🍁
Thank you for this! I am constantly struggling with all of those “heavy” things!
Thank you for the Beautiful message. I needed this today. God Bless You and have a wonderful Thanksgiving week.
I need to show this post to my husband and stand next to him to make sure he reads it !
Thank you, this post is exactly what he needs
Amen!!!! ❤️
Thank you for this encouragement.
Tania, I look forward to reading your Sunday messages. Also I ordered the Baleaf fleece lined leggings. A great price & quality, less than 1/2 the price of others I’ve tried. Happy thanksgiving.
Linda
Letting go of the extra baggage in life (physical, spiritual or emotional) makes me feel more calm and at peace. It’s easier to move through life when you travel light!
Needed this today. Thanks.
I’ve been unloading clothes I haven’t worn for a very long time, and other things found in drawers, shelves, long forgotten, but at some time seemed important. I do feel lighter. it’s a good feeling. I’ve moved twice and each time we unload things we just don’t need. But nature abhors a void, and before long the accumulation of new things fill the open slots. moving after 30 years is a lot to deal with. good luck with your move.
This is such a great reminder and great encouragement. Thank you!!
We moved about 6 years ago and got rid of so much stuff! Of course some has re accumulated over the years! Each season I gather up bags of clothing and donate! I currently have more empty hangers than clothing but still a lot because I love to shop! Where are you moving to?
I took a short break from packing to move and couldn’t believe the timing of your post, and had just finished telling my husband how emotional it’s all been. I’ve been packing, sorting, declutterering and going through 31 years of memories as well, every day for about a month. It’s extremely emotional, there’s been about 10 bins of our two daughters memories since their birth, they’re 29 and 31, kept finding more along the way, they were on shelves in the basement, it’s been many hours of tears, but will all be worth it. Thank you Tania, your post is just what I needed today.
I am always amazed at the Lord’s timing. He knows what we need to hear.
A beautiful message needed for me and many in our senior years.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the advice, and for the beautiful passages, Tania. You’ve no idea how much I needed this.
I am in agreement with everything you’ve written today. So well said the elder I get the more freeing it feels to pack lightly for all things. It surprises me how much easier this is. We have also started decluttering the house and it is hard sometimes. I have so many items from my parents and my in-laws, children and myself.
Thank you Tania.
A great reminder that we should share our “wealth” with others.
It soothes the soul to let go of items we don’t need and know it will continue to create smiles for others.
I’ve been thinking recently about decluttering my walk-in closet. I have a difficult time letting go of clothing and shoes (even if I haven’t worn them in a very long time), but I know it will be good for me in the long run. When things are decluttered and in order, it makes me feel lighter and happier. This applies to all the clutter in my brain as well – especially during the holiday season! 😁Reading your post and wonderful Bible verses for today inspires me to start my decluttering! Thank you!
It is easier for me if I only do a little at a time. When I try to do too much, I end up getting frustrated and quitting.
A wonderful post!❤️ Thank you.
I send best wishes to you and Joe on your new home. May the years be many filled with blessing and love!
We just moved eight weeks ago to a new state. We’re in a temporary apt. With everything in storage while we house hunt. How far are you moving? We actually are upsizing because our last home didn’t have “elbow room”. Wishing you and Joe the best!
We actually moved a couple of years ago, but never sold out other home. Now that we’ve sold that house, we need to move all our stuff out of it.
What a great message Tania! I am very guilty of carrying around baggage that I should turn over to God. After my mother died in 2016 and we made the decision to sell our 3,200 sq ft home so that we could move to our 1,300 sq ft country home, I had to get rid of a lot of things. Because a lot of the items were my mom’s, it was so hard for me to let go. To get through it I kept telling myself that I would still have the memories and that those were just things. I still have things packed up that I need to get rid of, but I just keep putting it off. One day!
Joe is going to freak out when he see’s all the stuff I still have packed. I’m telling myself I’ll be able to go through it slowly after Christmas, etc.
Ginger, I took photographs to “keep” the item so I could see it when I wanted to but let it go physically. It really helped me. I’ve seen people do a Shutterfly picture book for their family mementoes! I read a book by Marnie Jameson about downsizing the family home and another on moving on. She kept a cigar box of her father’s – and let the rest go. Remembering can be 1 or 2 items to bring their ‘essence’ with you. And certainly, I felt better letting anything go that was a burden or a downer memory.
What an inspirational post. Brings a lot in focus for me. Thank you and thank our precious Lord for always looking out for us.
I love this message ! It really makes you feel better to be clutter free!
I like what you said about clearing the clutter also helps us to clear our minds.
And how often we dwell on the past. That is something that will bring us down because we all have regrets. We need to focus on what we have today and move forward.
This was a good Sunday read.
We can’t change the past, so there is no reason to stay there.
Great message today!
Thank you for these reminders! Letting go is like cleansing your soul!
Yes, I’ve been there and it does feel good to lighten the load. Transitioning is always difficult, no matter our age. Love your prayer. May you find peace and joy on your new adventure. 😊
What a great message. I needed that. I know I need to declutter my house, my thoughts, and where I have been. It is easier said then done.
Thank you.
My husband and I moved a year and a half ago and we are still in the letting go phase but we are getting there bit by bit. So this was a very timely and spot on post for me. I can totally relate! Happy Sunday, Tania!
Excellent post, Tania. We aren’t moving but we’ve been clearing through items in the home we built 27 yrs ago. It started with our town’s annual free curbside Spring Cleaning. Our items kept disappearing so we’d bring more outside. This led to finding a charity related resale shop where I now make several stops a month. It is therapeutic. Our basement and closets are now noticeably lighter after about 18 mos. I feel lighter too. You are so right. Good luck to you as you walk down memory lane. Take pictures, move on. Blessings.
I love your message this morning Tania! 💖 Thank you for this beautiful reminder. Have a blessed Thanksgiving with your family!🦃
Tania,
As we age we see all the items we have saved for family. The younger generation doesn’t want stuff or excess baggage to tie them down. They want the ability to pack their belongings and go. The items I’ve saved for them they don’t want. The furniture that grandparents made to glassware, what do we do with it. I find it sad that our youth don’t have any interest in it. It breaks my heart that the family Lemonade set from the 1890’s , will be boxed up and put into a basement or sold at a yard sale.
Exactly, Dian. I have showed my daughter things that I don’t want put in a yard sale. The kids don’t have to keep them if they don’t work for them, but they don’t need to sell them for pennies. Lol!
Tania, Your message hit home! Thank You so much for your wise words. My husband and I are mentally going through the anguish of knowing we need to downsize but the sadness of leaving a home that we love and built so many memories. I wake up at night thinking about all the clutter I have to get rid of. It is so hard to make these choices. May God Bless you and your
family this Holiday Season. Thank You for all of your Sunday messages.
Karen, that is the hard part. I liked everything I’ve ever bought, but some things no longer are needed. If it makes someone else happy, then that will make me happy.
What beautiful words!!! Happy Sunday 🙏🏻❤️🙏🏻
Thank you. I really needed this today.
I love your post today. It speaks to me in so many ways. After 30 years in the same house, my husband and I just pulled up our roots and moved two hours away to be closer to our grandchildren. We are parents to an only child. Our son and daughter-in-law have blessed us with three precious grandchildren and we wanted to be near them. At 61 and 63 years old after 39 years of marriage, every single thing you said about the physical and emotional “weight” hits home! Over the years, we’ve accumulated so much “stuff”. Much of these treasures are attached to emotions. This move has been a time to self-reflect and part with things that are extra weight for us. Cheers to new beginnings and new chapters! On a side note, moving at 61 and 63 is way different than moving in our 30’s! Although we had professional movers, just sorting through items and packing boxes was work. Best of luck on your move. Happy Thanksgiving!
I haven’t seen much of this stuff in at least three years, so it is obvious that I can do without it. I am trying to use Marie Kondo’s method and ask if it sparks joy before I try to find a place for it in my house.
My parents became very ill and we had to move them from their condo quickly. Thankfully they had already moved from their home but still accumulated a lot. Pretty much the whole condo came to our house. Add our 30+ years of things and kids stuff including college apartments-what a mess. The Marie Kondo book helped so much. Especially with the emotional side. I am rereading it to get through the last round of things. But such freedom.
Chris, the emotional baggage is the hardest to let go of.
Your Sunday messages are always right on point. Thank you again for your wise words.
Tania, I love this message thank you for sharing and thank you for the reminder.
Let us let go and Let God guide us on our journey through the seasons of life He knows what we need in our suitcases!
Especially poignant when this time of year seems to be all about buy more, get more, who cares if it drives you into debt? Thank you for helping me remember what’s really important. Praying for a safe move and excited to see the new chapter God has for your family!!!
This article was very inspiring. Although I am not experience packing for a move, I do need to do some decluttering, both in my home and life as well. Thanks for opening my eyes and my heart to what’s really necessary to live life to the fullest. My “suitcase”, is now opened and ready for decluttering!
Powerful message about the weight we carry. Declutterring many aspects of our lives helps us to better know and serve HIM.
Great reminder! I am also moving into a different house and am having to downsize. It’s hard to let go of things, especially things that were my children’s. Good luck and I always love your Sunday devotionals.
Tania, for such a time is this. We are contemplating moving to a house that would better suit our needs. However, we have lived in our house for 42 years. A house that our families built together. Although the physical baggage is present, the emotional baggage is greater. I prayed this morning for wisdom as we seek His will through this process. Your words were just what I needed. You spoke to my heart! Bless you!🙏🏻
Cathy, it is hard! I have to remember that the house is not the home. I’m leaving the physical house, but taking the home (memories) with me.
I needed that! Thank you
What a timely piece you have written, as I’m trying to do that right now. It’s so hard to physically do the work that must be done, but it is a relief when you do. Thank you for making my Sunday morning!!
What great words of wisdom! I love that God’s word has direction for our every need. We just have to read and remind ourselves that He has supplied us with the best way to live.
Tania, what a wonderful devotional this morning. For whatever reason, God has never allowed me to accumulate for very long. My life has always had so many changes that I’ve had to learn to become very quick to let things go. By this I mean both in the physical world and spiritually. It’s amazing what can weigh us down. I think of that verse about how no one can look back while plowing (Luke 9:62), or we will make a crooked path forward. Resentment, unforgiveness, and bitterness toward others who we feel have “done us wrong” or who we think “had it better than we did”, shame and guilt over our own failures and sins, disappointments and discouragements when life doesn’t seem to go the way we thought it would… all these things are heavy, heavy loads, and every day we choose to hold onto them and let them drag us into the muck, is another day of our lives that we will never get back. The faster we can learn to release these things to the Lord and embrace His mercy and love, the better. But we are stubborn creatures, aren’t we? As I said, I’ve had to learn all of this (and still am learning, slowly and not consistently). I have many lessons yet to go, of this I am certain. However, I do try to remember that the school of hard knocks is a rougher teacher than God is, and I should listen to Him more often than I do. Have a blessed Sunday.
Carolyn, you are right about us being stubborn. We think we know best, and it is hard to give up and let God take the reins. Life would be so much easier if we didn’t try to muddy the waters.
Your post was such a blessing and exactly what I needed to hear.
Wow this is truly what I needed to hear today, thank you! I pray that your move goes smoothly.
Amen!
Best of luck with your move!
Thank you
WOW!!!! Excellent post Tania, I needed this reminder. Over the last 10-15 years, I have been slowly going through my stuff. It is a freeing experience. However, I have to admit I seem to continue to buy stuff. I am trying not to buy knick knacks though and take out certain old things when I do buy something else. I take care of my 85 year old mother and trying to help her sort through things so I have had to put my stuff on hold. Not only material stuff can cause extra stress but the emotional baggage can really do a number on your health too. I definitely need to do what you suggested….
“Open the “suitcase” of your life, pour everything out on the floor, and ask God what’s worth keeping.” Amen !!!
~Lisa~
Love your Sunday posts, but this might be my favorite.
We moved 5 years ago, it’s crazy the things you save. My attic was full and almost all of we didn’t need. I saved it in case I needed it. It is definitely a great life lesson that we don’t need all these things.
this is something valuable for us to remember! We live in a 3 story house, and we frequently move furniture around (when I say “we” i mean my husband lol), so there’s a lot of cleaning, donating, throwing out of no longer wanted or useful things. I do find the fewer the items. the less clutter and I can’t stand clutter. Hooray for you!
Lol! I rarely move furniture because the we would be “me.”
Enjoy yr Sunday I always overpack! Nice prayer thx
Excellent message!!! Thank you.
A wonderful reminder! Thank you!
Sometimes during the week when I’m following your posts I feel like I don’t match up or need to do better. It’s easy to allow that to happen. But your Sunday posts ALWAYS life my heart and mind to what is really important in life. Thank you so much
Tania thank you for these words today. We just downsized our lives and moved to a new home and part of town in August. We are 70 years old and lived 35 years in the other home we built and loved but it was too much work and space for us. I have been unexpectedly homesick, but its getting better. We shed ourselves of so much and still need to do more so very difficult dealing with the historical family stuff. It does feel lighter and simpler and better. We are so grateful our children won’t have an overwhelming burden on them in the future. I will have to find the post about your decision to move. Good luck and prayers.
Soo true! The picture of all the boxes on top of a person made me laugh! That is exactly how I have felt moving!
Are you moving? Please share more. I’m exactly your age and am thinking of a move as well. I’d be interested in your thoughts of inspiration.
Thank you
Alicia Wilson
Sorta, but not. Lol! We sold our older house, so it had to be cleaned out. We moved to a new home about 3 years ago, but just recently sold the previous one.
Moving????? Different house? Different town??
We have moved several times. My folks moved several times. It’s a great time to clear!!!!!