Decluttering is a constant process of letting go. For some people letting go is easier than for others.
If you are experiencing difficulties with letting go of your clutter:
- Evaluate: go shopping in your home for those items you need, then get rid of the rest.
- Memorialize: take a few samples from the collection, mount them beautifully and get rid of the rest.
- Curate: allow yourself one collection and display it predominately.
- Enjoy: stop saving your stuff “for someday” and use your bowls for fruit or serving.
- Limit: only allow yourself to keep a certain number or volume (one box) of items.
- Wean: make a list of the types of things you need to get rid of, rate them from 0 to 10 according to how anxious it makes you to think of doing so, then get rid of the easiest things first and progress.
- Out of sight, out of mind: if you can’t make a final decision to let something go, box it up and put a date on it for three to six months from now and put that date in your calendar. If you haven’t opened that box when the date comes remove the box (donate or giveaway) without opening that day.
- Create distance: buddy up with someone who will handle your items according to your direction so you don’t touch or handle your items so it will be easier to get rid of the items.
Moving through the process of decluttering, you let go not only of the burdensome excess of things but also of the thoughts and feelings you associate with them. You cannot let go of one and hang on to the other. So let it go so you can open yourself up to so much more.