March 23, 2022
When you decide to start jogging, you don’t enter a marathon a week later. When you take up painting as a hobby, you don’t attempt a Van Gogh at your first lesson. And when you start to declutter you don’t go straight for the most difficult part!
I often get asked, “What must I do? I have all these embroidered pillowcases that I just cannot let go of. Just the idea of letting them go freaks me out.” OR “I have 5 suitcases of my wife’s clothes that passed away 2 years ago. I just can’t let it go. What must I do?”
My answer is always the same … KEEP IT! YOU DON’T HAVE TO DECLUTTER OR LET IT GO NOW!
Keep the pillowcases if the idea of letting them go is freaking you out. Keep the suitcases full of clothing if you are not ready to part with them. Letting go of stuff you are not ready to release can cause depression and more damage than good. And that is not what we are aiming for right now. Our aim is just to get going.
Rather start to declutter somewhere else first. Declutter something that will be easier to let go of. Like the plastic containers with missing lids. Or all the plastic grocery bags you have shoved into the kitchen drawer. Or the socks that have lost their partners. No need to create trauma on your first day of decluttering.
The whole idea behind this theory is that the more you declutter the easier it will get. With every declutter win you will build the momentum and confidence you need to finish the job. Along the way, you will get accustomed to the benefits and pure joy of living in a decluttered home, and then without realizing it … it won’t be that difficult at all to let go of those pillowcases and suitcases with clothing that you have been holding onto so tight.
When you meet the love of your life, you don’t get married the next day. When you start lifting weights you don’t try to pick up 200kg on your first day at the gym.
So why do you want to do what seems almost impossible when you start to declutter? The idea of letting ........................ (name the item) go feels almost impossible at the moment. (Put your answer in the comments below.)
Hit the reply button with a 'like' if you agree that letting go is a process.
