Today we are going to address another common hindrance that keeps you from getting your home organized. I’ve identified 11 common roadblocks that most of us are familiar with, on some level, but may have never given much thought to. Then, I’ll give you some organizing and decluttering tips to help you get started.
We’ll address and name them, and then we’ll learn how to tackle and overcome them. Are you ready to get started with hindrance number 9?
Hindrance # 9:You have a strong emotional attachment to your belongings.
Naturally, we all have sentimental attachments to certain of our possessions, but what we are describing here goes beyond that. A person facing this obstacle to organization has a sentimental attachment to almost all of their belongings.
It’s almost as if they have assigned feelings to these objects. You may remember, as a child, having strong feelings toward a certain toy or special blanket.
Naturally, we protect what is precious to us. However, someone who can’t let go of anything is what I am describing here.
Perhaps, if this is you, you may have experienced a childhood trauma, such as a house fire, where you lost everything that was precious to you. In an effort to prevent that from happening again, you have overcompensated for that loss by keeping everything and assigning special attachment to each and every item you own.
This is a natural response and no one is faulting you for wanting to guard your heart against loss again. But, keeping everything that enters your home is not sustainable or practical in the long term. If this describes you, you may have said the following…
-It hurts me to let this item go.
-I will lose a part of who I am if I get rid of this.
-I have had this for as long as I can remember. It’s too emotional to give this away now.
To overcome this roadblock to organization, you are going to have to make some tough choices. It may require having a loved one help you through the process of sorting it all out. Start with items that can be easily replaced and have little monetary value.
Do not try to tackle the most sentimental of items first. If it helps, sort everything into categories and box them up for a few days or so. Then, the process of getting rid of them becomes easier once they aren’t in your line of vision everyday.
If you have experienced some trauma in your life that has resulted in some sort of hoarding, take this time to self-assess. Use this as an opportunity to make a fresh start and new beginning. You can overcome the pain of loss. Speak to someone, and gather a support team to help you through.
Your homework is to start with one category or one area of your home that is becoming a problem. Start with the least emotional items first. If you locate a sentimental item as you are sorting, set that aside for later.
Contact a loved one. Explain what you are trying to accomplish, and invite them to walk with you through the process. You can do this. You are already on your way up by deciding you need a change. Here are 10 practical tips for helping with emotional attachment.
How can I declutter and organize if I have a strong emotional attachment to my stuff?
Decluttering and organizing when you have a strong emotional attachment to your belongings can indeed be challenging, but it’s certainly possible with some strategies and techniques. Here are some practical steps you can take:
- Set Clear Goals: Before you begin decluttering and organizing, define your goals. Determine what you want to achieve by decluttering – whether it’s creating more space, reducing stress, or simplifying your life.
- Start Small: Begin with a small, manageable area or category of items rather than tackling your entire home at once. This can help prevent overwhelm and make the process feel more achievable.
- Use the Three-Box Method: As you go through your belongings, use three boxes or bins labeled “keep,” “donate/sell,” and “discard.” This can help you make decisions more objectively and efficiently.
- Question Your Attachments: When deciding whether to keep or discard an item, ask yourself why you’re emotionally attached to it. Is it because of sentimental value, nostalgia, or fear of letting go? Understanding the reasons behind your attachment can help you make more informed decisions. If an item brings back painful memories, consider letting it go. This can aid in your healing process.
- Limit Sentimental Items: While it’s important to cherish meaningful items, try to set limits on the number of sentimental items you keep. Choose the ones that truly hold the most significance to you and let go of the rest.
- Take Photos: If you’re struggling to part with certain items, consider taking photos of them instead. This allows you to preserve the memories associated with the items without taking up physical space.
- Create a Memory Box: Designate a specific container or box for storing sentimental items. Limit the size of the box to prevent it from overflowing, and only keep items that can fit inside.
- Visualize Your Ideal Space: Envision how you want your living space to look and feel once it’s organized. Keeping this vision in mind can motivate you to let go of unnecessary items.
- Seek Support: If decluttering feels overwhelming, consider enlisting the help of a friend or family member. Having someone else to offer support and perspective can make the process easier.
- Be Patient and Kind to Yourself: Decluttering and organizing can be a gradual process, especially when dealing with emotional attachments. Be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress, no matter how small.
Remember that decluttering is not just about getting rid of things – it’s also about creating a space that supports your well-being and reflects your priorities and values. By approaching the process with mindfulness and intention, you can successfully declutter even when faced with strong emotional attachments.
Happy Organizing!
Are you enjoying this series on organization? I hope you are! Please continue to join me as we tackle the next roadblock to organization in my next post where I’ll give you more organizing and decluttering tips. Be sure to sign up and subscribe by email, and you’ll receive updates automatically. Read part 10 in this series here.
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.
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.
Organizing and Decluttering Tips
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 find that here.
Struggling with the daily housekeeping chores? Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. Use this link to get it at a discounted price.
How to Declutter the Guest Room or Your Kid’s Room checklist can be found here.
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.
Need some Inspiration to Declutter? You can sign up here. Join us for the Year Long Through Declutter Series by subscribing by email below.
Happy Decluttering!
To Subscribe to my Year Long Thorough 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.
We declutter 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. The Year Long Thorough Declutter Series is designed to help you declutter every room and every closet in your home. When you subscribe you’ll receive a daily task in the room or area we are currently working on decluttering. To Subscribe, leave a comment below.
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: How do you remove clutter?.…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.
I hope you have benefitted from my organizing and decluttering tips. Leave a comment below to subscribe to my daily declutter task email series.
I want all the checklists that is for free. I am overwhelmed and could benefit from daily encouragement to declutter my home. Finance is tight at the moment as my 2 kids are at university. So any free checklists will be so appreciated! Thanks a lot!
Welcome aboard! I have lots of free printables you can find under the printables category on the drop down menu at the top of this page to help you get organized. I just signed you up for the email list! Watch your inbox for a coupon code for my free ebook