It's hard to get motivated to finally organize the areas that have become dumping grounds for stuff over time, maybe years. But, after enough frustration, we finally decide enough is enough and get started. Yay!
We shred the 20 year old tax returns. We start a donation pile of clothes and household items that we feel good about moving on to a better place. Then, we come across a box of cords. "These were expensive! And I know I still have some of these devices...somewhere..."
O.k., so maybe you don't share my husband's attachment to electronic cords, but perhaps you have another 'pet' item that is hard to part with. Be it water bottles, black t-shirts or otherwise, the pattern is the same - "I might need this someday and maybe it could solve [this problem]." Or so the narrative in our head goes...
Another common scenario is that we start to dream that someone in our family will value the purchasing choices we made twenty years ago and want our stuff in the future. They're probably antiques now, right?! Antiques Roadshow here I come!
I jest! But, the point is... Even with the best of intentions, getting organized can be difficult. It's not just the physical work and time that are required, or even the volume of stuff we need to sort through. Often it's the mental hurdles that we must overcome because...well, let's face it, we grow attached and sometimes overestimate the current and/or future value of our things. While challenging, these mental traps are not insurmountable. There are a few tricks that can help in overcoming these barriers:
Organizing 'Bad Words' Barrier Busters
Break big, overwhelming projects (i.e., organizing a kitchen) into smaller, more manageable tasks (i.e., reorganizing a cupboard). It's not so daunting and it makes your brain process and make decisions more easily.
Remind yourself why you started decluttering and organizing in the first place. The 'stuff' is getting in the way of your sense of well-being. It's not making you happy! Your future self will thank you!
Get help from someone who does not have any personal attachment to your things and can offer you a kind, informed and objective voice when the 'might, could, maybe, somedays' creep into your head.
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