How to Declutter when You’re Indecisive

Often times people will recall the time they gave away something they later regretted parting with… or even worse, a family member tossed something that was of great meaning to them. If we are really honest with ourselves, this doesn’t happen all that often, but the sting of feeling betrayed or regretful makes it feel like it happens all the time. Consider the consequences of doing nothing and having your place stay the way it is forever…how does that feel? If that causes you stress or sadness, consider letting go of past hurts and harms and forge ahead. Today is a great day to begin again.

I recently had a call from a woman who repeatedly said that she would never think of herself as someone who needed to hire an organizer because of how organized she was in her work life and home life… UNTIL, she decided to move to a new home. The millions of decisions weighing her down was causing severe stress and unmanageability for both her and her husband. During the course of our conversation, it became clear that her issue was DECISION MAKING. Her inability to make decisions (due to the overwhelm) was doing great harm to not only her and her family, it was delaying the move that she so desperately wanted to make. Organizing thoughts and decisions can be just as overwhelming as organizing physical objects. And yes, a skilled professional organizer can help you with that, too.

When we work with our clients, we are building the ‘decision-making muscle’ so that when it comes time for the tougher things (ie: photos, valued heirlooms, and even a planned move), you will have an easier time as you’ve practiced with the less important things (ie: sorting and purging pens, staples, post it notes, mugs, promo items, socks, crusty belts…get the picture here?).

If you are of the mindset that you can organize on your own…more power to you! If you’re having trouble starting, begin with the easy stuff first – try one drawer with really old and forgotten items. If you can declutter and organize the drawer, you are a super star! If you get frustrated after a few minutes, try a different place… maybe old linens or towels, or old videos, or dusty clothes in the far sides of your closet… ANYTHING that doesn’t tug at the heart strings.

But remember, the goal is to make A decision. If you’re terrified of making a mistake by giving something away that you’ll regret, allocate a box of the questionable items, write a date that’s 3-6 months away. If you haven’t missed it or touched it, that’s all the proof you need to be able to give it away.

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