Organize + Energize: 5 Reasons You Can’t Get Rid of Your Stuff

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Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalPDX Organizing Expert

You know you have to get rid of some of your stuff. It’s been weighing on you mentally. You know if you get rid of it you’ll feel better, but you just can’t commit. People have mental clutter, paper piles, too many clothes, a spare room or a basement full of random items. Only you will know when you are ready to declutter. Don’t let the build-up of overwhelm and stress hamper your decision to tackle this project. 

Here are 5 reasons you can’t get rid of your stuff. 

You might need it someday. You’ve been throwing items into a disorganized closet or spare room. You start to declutter and you keep saying, “I might need this someday.” If these items were buried in the closet or under piles in a spare room for months or even years, chances are you aren’t going to need them. You may even find you have duplicates of these items because at one point you were looking for them, couldn’t find them and went out and purchased more of the same.

You are saving it for somebody. People will accept items out of guilt to be polite. Those items end up in a bin in their basement and then they feel guilty getting rid of them. It becomes a vicious cycle. Think about what the piece means to you and if it will have the same meaning to the person you are giving it to. It may be time to just let it go. 

You haven’t read it yet.  This applies to the piles of magazines and paper piles cluttering your space. Take a look at the dates on the magazines. Is there a fascinating article in there you wanted to read? Make a plan to go through all of the magazines, tear out the articles you want to read and set a time limit to read them. If this seems too overwhelming to do, it’s time to let these magazines go. I can guarantee there are missed business opportunities, money, and important files in the paper piles. If they were important to begin with, they shouldn’t have been buried in a pile.  

It’s sentimental. This is where people really struggle. What types of items are you holding onto?  What’s your reason for holding onto them? What memories do they hold for you? How do these items make you feel? If they bring up negative feelings, it’s time to let them go. 

You just aren’t ready. It’s ok if you aren’t ready.  What are your reasons for not being ready? Are you afraid of the emotions it might stir up for you? Jot down the reasons why you aren’t ready. Seeing them on paper may change your mind. Once you get rid of the mental clutter, you may realize that it’s time. 

What’s holding you back?  It may be the emotional aspect or you are so overwhelmed and stressed that it’s just easier to continue looking at it every day rather than tackling it. Once you make the decision, go full speed ahead and don’t look back. You’ll be lighter, happier and mentally clear once you are finished.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, is an organizing & efficiency expert and owner of Organizing in RI. Kristin teaches her clients that living an organized lifestyle will save them time and money, decrease their stress levels and help them become more efficient and productive. Her articles have been published in local and national magazines. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to begin. She is also available for organizing workshops.

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