As human beings, we tend to develop emotional attachments to the possessions that we own. It’s not uncommon to find ourselves holding onto things that we no longer need or use, simply because of the sentimental value that they hold. This emotional attachment can make it difficult to let go of our possessions, even if they are no longer serving us. In this blog post, we will explore the concept of emotional attachments to possessions and provide tips on how to let go of sentimental items.
Welcome to the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series! We will be starting in the kitchen this month. Wondering how to declutter? Each day is dedicated to spending only 30 minutes decluttering your specific daily task. We will be working 5 days a week, so you can take 2 days to enjoy time with your loved ones.
Ignore the dates within this post. Each year we do the declutter series, so the dates won’t coincide from year to year. If you wish to subscribe and join us as we Declutter a Room in 30 minutes a Day, leave a comment below. You can also find the video below if you prefer video to reading. Today, we are decluttering in the kitchen. But first, let’s look at the concept of emotional attachments to possessions and provide tips on how to let go of sentimental items.
What are Emotional Attachments to Possessions?
Emotional attachments to possessions refer to the emotional bond that we develop with the items that we own. This bond is often formed due to the memories and experiences associated with the possession. For example, a wedding dress may hold sentimental value because it reminds the owner of their wedding day. Emotional attachments can also form due to the feelings of security and comfort that the possession provides. For instance, a childhood toy may hold sentimental value because it provided comfort and security during the owner’s childhood.
Why Letting Go of Emotional Attachments is Important?
While it’s natural to develop emotional attachments to our possessions, holding onto items that no longer serve us can lead to clutter and stress. Clutter can have a negative impact on mental health, leading to feelings of overwhelm and anxiety. Letting go of emotional attachments can help to free up physical and mental space, allowing us to focus on what truly matters in life.
Tips for Letting Go of Sentimental Items
- Take Inventory
The first step in letting go of sentimental items is to take inventory of the possessions that you own. Create a list of items that you feel emotionally attached to and the reason why you feel attached to them. This will help you to identify the possessions that hold the most value to you.
- Ask Yourself Why
When deciding whether to keep or let go of a possession, ask yourself why it holds sentimental value. Is it because of the memories associated with the item, or the feelings of security and comfort that it provides? Understanding the root of the emotional attachment can help you to make an informed decision about whether to keep or let go of the item.
- Set Boundaries
If you’re struggling to let go of sentimental items, it can be helpful to set boundaries. For example, you may decide to only keep a certain number of sentimental items, or you may choose to limit the space that sentimental items can take up in your home. Setting boundaries can help you to create a sense of order and control over your possessions.
- Take Photos
If you’re struggling to let go of sentimental items, consider taking photos of the items instead. This will allow you to preserve the memories associated with the item without having to physically keep it in your possession.
- Donate or Sell
If you decide to let go of sentimental items, consider donating or selling the items. This can help to ease the guilt associated with letting go of something that holds emotional value. Additionally, it can provide someone else with the opportunity to create their own memories with the item.
Letting go of emotional attachments to possessions can be a difficult process. However, it’s important to remember that possessions do not define us as individuals. By letting go of the items that no longer serve us, we can create space for the things that truly matter in life. By following these tips, you can begin to let go of sentimental items and free up physical and mental space in your life.
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can find that here.
Struggling with the daily housekeeping chores and wondering: What Housework Should Be Done Daily? Grab my free ebook to walk you through the process. What Does a Deep Clean Include? One of my best Deep Cleaning Home Tips is to use a House Cleaning Planner. Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. Use this link to get it at a discounted price. Better yet… get it FREE when you subscribe to my site. Also, you can find my room by room Declutter Guide at the end of this post designed to help you learn tips and Decluttering Ideas For Your Home.
Maybe your house is clean but cluttered. If so, you need to know a few Declutter Tips and Ideas before you start using the Step By Step Decluttering plan I use. Does a Cluttered House Cause Stress? You Bet! Let’s look at a reputable, mental health site to answer that question and see exactly How Clutter Affects You. Then you can learn Why and How To Start to Purge Your Entire Home even if you struggle with Emotional Attachments to Possessions. They have given us 8 ways mess leads to stress and exactly How Clutter Affects You. According to Psychology Today:
How Clutter Affects You: Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Can a Messy House Affect Your Mood? You bet! How Does Clutter Affect Your Life? Messy homes and work spaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Yet, rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives. (source) But, unnecessary stress is one aspect of How Clutter Affects You.
How Clutter Affects You Mentally can help provide the motivation you need to know How to Clear Clutter and Get Organized. Why does mess lead to so much stress? (source) Getting rid of all of that stress can be one of the best declutter motivation tips you need for some instant Declutter Inspiration when dealing with emotion attachment to possessions.
- Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t necessary or important. (source)
- Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on. (source)
- Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.(source)
- Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done.(source)
- Clutter makes us anxious because we’re never sure what it’s going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile. (source)
- Clutter creates feelings of guilt (“I should be more organized”) and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or work spaces. (source)
- Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brainstorm, and problem solve.(source)
- Clutter frustrates us by preventing us from locating what we need quickly (e.g. files and paperwork lost in the “pile” or keys swallowed up by the clutter). (source) So, experiencing constant frustration is another aspect to How Clutter Affects You.
Overwhelmed by a Messy House? It can really affect you negatively. How Do You Deal With a Cluttered Mess? One way is to have a plan, set aside a specific time, and learn the steps to declutter your home. What Cleaning Should Be Done Daily? I have a room by room specific Printable House Cleaning Checklist linked above. Also, you can find my room by room Declutter Guide at the end of this post.
For a clean, simplistic look, one of the best Deep Cleaning Home Tips is to declutter a room before cleaning and then use an Easy House Cleaning Schedule to maintain it. Declutter Checklists can help you learn How to begin to Purge Your Entire Home.
How Does Clutter Affect Your Life? As you can already see, there are at least 8 ways we become negatively affected by clutter. Also, I though it might be thought provoking to look at some statistics on clutter to learn more about How Clutter Affects You and why you should consider Emotional Attachments to Possessions may be holding you back.
- US consumers buy 40% of the world’s toys, but bear only 3% of the world’s children.
- Most people wear 20% of their clothing 80% of the time. (source )
- 9.4% of U.S. households rent a storage unit. (source)
- People do not look at 80% of the papers and information they keep.(source)
- The average American house is double the size it was in the 1950s–and getting bigger. (source.)
- The U.S. Department of Energy reports that one-quarter of people with two-car garages have so much stuff in there that they can’t park a car. (https://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-statistics-of-clutter/)
- According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40 percent of housework in the average home.(https://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-statistics-of-clutter/) Wouldn’t eliminating a lot of housework provide some declutter inspiration? Read on for more Decluttering Ideas For Your Home.
Today, we’ll lay out the solutions for the steps to declutter using my tips on Why and How to Declutter a House. Plus, we’ll look at a few ways to answer the concern of How Clutter Affects You and what you can do about it.
A few guidelines to keep you on task as you declutter:
1.Only spend time on your specific daily task.
2.Do not get side-tracked or distracted.
3.Work within a time of day that you have the most energy and stamina.
4.Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. Recruit help if you are stuck in the decision process and are dealing with emotional attachments to possessions.
5.Avoid cleaning during your declutter. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Cleaning can be accomplished later.
Your task today for August 14th is to: Declutter any dry and shelf-stable foods that aren’t in your pantry
We have 2 pantries in our home: one for meals/ingredients and one for snacks. Today, I decluttered the “snack” pantry. Here is my BEFORE photo:
Below is my AFTER photo:
Below is a photo of everything I decluttered.
Just a recap from yesterday’s task in case you missed it. August 13th Task was to declutter your pantry and top of refrigerator.
I started first by grabbing a chair so I could see what is of the top of my refrigerator.
Yes, this is where we keep a baseball glove. Lol. My husband likes to throw the ball with our twin boys, but he doesn’t want his good, leather glove stored in the garage. So, I honor his wishes, and this is where we keep it. Also, on the top of my refrigerator are fireworks in that paper sack. I found a “lost” towel up here, as well. I can only imagine the boys tossed it up here by mistake.
I am actually only 5 feet and 3 inches tall, so I am somewhat limited to what I actually see on top of the refrigerator.
I was able to put misplaced items away where they belong and replace everything in a pretty basket. I like the way it looks now. This basket was pulled from my kitchen counter. If you know me, I do not recommend going to buy a basket or any type of storage if you can avoid it. I am a fan of using what you already own and repurposing as much as possible.
The next half of the task for yesterday was to declutter the pantry. Check it out on my blog, where I discuss specifics on how I organize my two pantries. I have an ingredients pantry that I use for meal preparations. I also have converted my coat closet into a snack pantry for the kids to keep them from eating the foods I intend for meal prep. I have a post about this specific task, so I’ll be brief. I have recently done this, so I was able to complete this task very easily and quickly.
After organizing, everything is in labeled bins, for the most part. I bought mine at the Dollar Tree. You can find them in the link below. In the bottom of each pantry I store large, shelf-stable emergency foods. I have no other space to store these, and although, I don’t generally like things on the floors, these are quite heavy and may break my shelves.
Wondering how to declutter? Keep reading.
I hope you are staying motivated and are able to keep on task. I know you can do it! You will reap so many benefits when you declutter. Please join us tomorrow for some more inspiration and some more “before and after” photos to keep you motivated.
Also, feel free to share this with a friend who might want to join us in the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series. When you subscribe below, you’ll get the daily declutter task sent to you by email. To subscribe, leave a comment below.
How to Declutter:
Your task today for August 14th is to: Declutter any dry and shelf-stable foods that aren’t in your pantry
Need to deep clean? I have lists for you to guide you along.
My How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Kids’ Rooms list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Living Room list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Bedroom list can be found here.
You can get your printable Daily Housekeeping Routine and Deep Cleaning Your House Schedule here. This 15 page printable kit is delivered digitally to your email for you to print and personalize. What Does a Deep Clean Include? It includes a daily schedule, calendar pages, and deep cleaning checklists for every room and area of your home. Below is a sample page of what you’ll get in my printable set designed to help you create your personal Housekeeping Schedule Printable.
Also, to keep up the general housework, you may need to create a daily housekeeping schedule that suits your specific needs. To do so, I have created a helpful series you can read here.
Need to Declutter Every room? I have declutter checklists for every room and every space in your home to guide you along below.
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can sign up here.
How to Declutter the Guest Room or Your Kid’s Room checklist can be found here.
Struggling to decide if an item is clutter? Use these questions below to help you determine whether to keep or toss any item.
How to Declutter Your Laundry Room and Patio checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Coat Closet/Hall Closet/Linen Closet checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Home Office checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Attic checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Garage checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Living Room checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Kitchen Checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Entry/Foyer/Mudroom checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Clothing checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Bedroom checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Bathroom checklist can be found here.
Happy Decluttering!
To Subscribe to this Declutter Series, drop me a comment below. Your email will be sent to me but will not be posted publicly. You’ll receive a daily declutter task via email for the daily task we are working on. You can unsubscribe at any time.
New to deemiddleton.com and don’t know where to start? I recommend going in this order:
Step 1: Check out this post on the 1st step you should take to get organized. Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can sign up here.
Step 2: Create a daily Housekeeping Schedule. You can use this series to start to set up your own schedule. You can also use this simplified weekly schedule.If you often ask: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Or, if you struggle to get organized and have tried and failed time and again, you can likely find out which of these 11 reasons cause you to fail to get organized.
Step 3: Get decluttering strategies here.…Sign up for the Declutter Series and get your entire home decluttered in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.”Declutter Your Home” checklists are provided in each email.
Step 4: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Use a timer and use the Deep Cleaning Checklists above. They will help you get your home sparkling after you’ve decluttered.
Interested in becoming a full-time blogger like me? Check out my blogging series. At the top of every page on my blog, you’ll find a drop down menu. Just select the BLOGGING category.
Check out the most popular posts on deemiddleton.com:
14 Things That Make Your Home Look Cluttered
How to Create a Daily Housekeeping Schedule
How to Clean House When You Are Completely Overwhelmed By Clutter
What is Preventing You From Getting Organized?
Also, check out a great post on decluttering over here from becomingminimalist.com. Joshua Becker has some great tips on decluttering and minimalism.
For further reading, check out the fly lady here. She has some great cleaning and decluttering ideas plus excellent organization tips to get you started.
Need some Inspiration to Declutter? Join us for the Year Long Through Declutter Series by subscribing by email below.
To Subscribe to this Declutter Series, drop me a comment below. Your email will be sent to me but will not be posted publicly. You’ll receive a daily declutter task via email for the daily task we are working on. You can unsubscribe at any time.
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