
- Kate is a regular guest poster here at Vintage Cash Cowriosities. She's a professional organiser and declutterer, and blogs over at A Tidy Mind what she doesn't know about decluttering isn't worth knowing. Today Kate is talking to us about decluttering the guilt & the guilt associated with decluttering and gives some sound advice on what to do with the things you feel guilty letting go of.
- I sometimes see people emotionally blackmailing themselves into keeping clutter
- But what if you feel you really would offend someone by letting a possession go?
Kate is a regular guest poster here at Vintage Cash Cowriosities. She's a professional organiser and declutterer, and blogs over at A Tidy Mind what she doesn't know about decluttering isn't worth knowing. Today Kate is talking to us about decluttering the guilt & the guilt associated with decluttering and gives some sound advice on what to do with the things you feel guilty letting go of.
Over to Kate for one of the best posts, you'll read this year...As a professional declutterer, I often see people in a state of distress over their belongings. A home can become overwhelming for lots of different reasons â downsizing, inheriting things from family, a new baby, becoming a blended family, and over-consuming to name a few. Once overwhelm kicks in, itâs easy to become paralysed and stressed about the whole situation. Let me be clear: I love âstuffâ. My possessions are very important to me â not as important as the people I love or meaningful experiences â but important all the same. But Iâm mindful of the fact that possessions exist to enhance life, either because theyâre useful - like a bread knife, or because theyâre associated with a positive feeling â like a special letter from a loved one.I feel strongly that each and every possession should add value to life in some way. Even something as mundane as an ice scraper can do that â life would be a little bit more challenging without it. So, taking the above into consideration, I dislike it when possessions are associated with negative feelings (or even indifferent feelings) Guilt, obligation and a fear of causing offence and upset are common reasons why people hold on to possessions which add little or no value to their lives.
I sometimes see people emotionally blackmailing themselves into keeping clutter
It has to stop. Comments I hear regularly from clients include: âI canât get rid of that â X gave it to meâ and "I canât let that go, it was only recently giftedâ or "I need to keep that, Y might ask after itâ
Letâs get some perspective. Itâs just stuff. It isnât a person. It doesnât have feelings. If something isnât adding value to your life, you can and should let it go. And if you can sell or donate it then thatâs a bonus.
But what if you feel you really would offend someone by letting a possession go?
The solution still isnât keeping the stuff to save feelings. You pay a price for everything you have in your home â you need to store and maintain it and you shouldnât have to keep anything out of guilt or obligation. Reassure yourself and others that you can still honour the sentiment behind something despite letting it go. Above all, focus on nurturing the current relationships in your life through shared experiences. These are what will deepen connections and create memories. The âstuffâ, really is just stuff. Kate is a professional organiser and declutters at A Tidy Mind. Visit her site today to get help from Kate with your clutter. See Vintage Cash Cow website, and now you're all clued up on the emotive elements of decluttering, get some practical advice from Kate's blog here.
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