When you sign up to my weekly newsletter, you get my free Time Management Purpose Pack and an email that asks you if you have any questions for me.

Mostly I just refer people to specific posts on the blog (as I seem to have covered most of them) but I liked this question I got recently so I thought I’d answer it here.

Kimberley said

I seem to not be able to get rid of things! I often feel emotionally attached to objects/ stuff may need them again!

I love questions that talk to the mindset about organising. I think I spent about half the workshop talking mindset because it is that important.

Remember my definition of clutter is things you don’t love or use (and I think I saw this on Laura’s blog, “that you don’t have the storage for”).

So if you know you should get rid of things and you feel emotionally attached, start asking yourself why you feel that way.

Sit with the question for a couple of days if you must because this is very important and you’re going to breeze through the rest of the organising process if you spend time upfront thinking about these things.

I also want to add that if you feel like rushing through thinking about this, that might be all the more reason for you to really think about your motives…

1. Maybe you have some hoarding tendencies because you didn’t have much money at some point in your life?

Ask yourself if you really, honestly couldn’t get x again if you needed it.

2. Maybe you’re hanging onto things because they’re from special people in your life?

Remind yourself that the thing does not define the special person. They don’t love you more because you hung onto the ugly vase

3. Maybe you’re hanging onto things because they remind you of special times?

I wrote about sentimental organising here. So… take a pic and let the item go.

Two questions for my readers:

Do you have hoarding tendencies?
How do you make it easier to let go?

Please encourage all your blog friends to join us in decluttering by using the button on your sidebar. Christmas is just around the corner and you need to make space for all the stuff you’ll inevitably get.

The Declutter Tip for the week …

When something’s decluttered, enjoy the space.

Often we feel like because we cleared space we need to fill it up again.

You don’t have to do that.

Instead, enjoy the feeling of peace and tranquility that the space brings.

I have two quick examples:

Clothes
You’ve just switched your clothes around. While you did that, you threw out stuff that you didn’t like or that didn’t fit.

Don’t go straight out and buy a whole lot of new clothes.

Enjoy the feeling of space in between your hangers, of being able to easily get clothes in and out of your wardrobe (closet).

Schedule
You find yourself with a cancelled appointment and some free time.

Don’t immediately go into overdrive – what can I do? I’m sure there’s work I need to do, etc, etc.

Enjoy that feeling and use it to do something fun, or use it for some big picture thinking. Brainstorm your next BIG business project.

As you saw yesterday…
I decluttered some vitamins and old medicines this week.

What did you declutter?

Please link to the post on your blog where you show off your pictures or talk about the declutter. Or if you don’t have a blog, tell me in the comments about ANYTHING you got rid of this week.

It can be anything like physical, electronic, mental clutter or even the need to be a certain way. Like perfectionism!