there are some general disorder Those are easier to deal with than others, and it’s no secret that emotional clutter is one of the hardest things to deal with. When you’re juggling handwritten cards, clothes, gifts, and other meaningful items, it can be difficult to choose what can be thrown away because of guilt, concerns, or serious attachment.
The usual decluttering advice isn’t always helpful when it comes to this type of clutter, so we turned to three organization experts for their best tips on how to navigate your way out of emotional clutter with as little pain as possible.
meet the expert
- leora seltzer is a professional organizer, certified KonMari consultant, and native coach based in New Jersey.
- Emily McDermott A decluttering coach, Amy is the founder of the blog Simply by Amy and podcast host of Moms Overcoming Overwhelm.
- barbara brock is a professional organizer and founder and CEO of Barbara Brock Inc., a professional organizing and staging company.
reframe the words
Saying that you are getting rid of sentimental items or throwing them away can sometimes increase the stress or sadness that comes from looking at these items. Professional organizer Leora Seltzer recommends avoiding these types of phrases.
Instead, it’s a good idea to give these items and souvenirs a little more thought and respect. Then you can let them go.
“It’s hard enough for them to leave, so we need to allow the right space and mindset for that,” says Seltzer.
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Try a sensory approach
Decluttering coach Emily McDermott agrees that these types of items can’t be handled like less meaningful items and recommends a sensory approach. This involves holding your item, looking at it and possibly smelling it to understand your feelings about it and see if it really holds sentimental value to you.
This is the first step in determining where this object sits in your memory and what kinds of feelings and memories it evokes. This method can be adopted annually to stay away from clutter.
“Don’t assume that something that’s meaningful to you today will be equally meaningful to you in the future,” says McDermott. “Commit to using a sensory approach to revisiting sentimental items you’ve kept.”
Save sentimental items for last
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If you’ve just started a major decluttering in your home, sentimental items shouldn’t be the first thing on your list. seltzer says so konmari method Deliberately saves this category for last.
She explains, “The reason is simple, you need practice in clearing away clutter before you can take on the heavy responsibility of separating sentimental items.” “So in other words, start with other cluttered projects before getting to the emotional issues.”
give yourself time
Don’t put pressure on yourself to rush or keep this process as quick as possible. Professional organizer Barbara Brock admits it’s an emotional toll cluttering up meaningful things Could be very big.
Instead, she encourages small steps like starting with a drawerBecause it’s essential for your mental well-being, reflects your progress, and helps you understand the emotional benefits of letting go of things.
Seltzer also points out that it can be helpful to have a trusted family member, friend, or expert with you, so you’re not going through it alone. You can stop and start as many times as you want. She also points out that if there’s a deadline, “you can always pack the items and deal with them later.”
focus on big things
It’s easy to turn to old boxes of letters and cards at first, but Seltzer says it’s often better to put your energy toward larger items taking up space.
“This will take about the same amount of time and mental energy as a box of photos or old letters,” she says, “but it will definitely give you more space for your effort.”
Think about what you are gaining and what you are losing
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After trying the sensory method, McDermott says you should leave behind items that evoke specific positive memories of tenderness, happiness, and nostalgia. Now the process involves figuring out whether the physical object needs to be around to keep these memories alive or not.
Consider what you lost by parting with the item, and also what you gained: letting go of the item and keeping a copy of it is not the same as keeping the original, but emotional freedom. And there’s extra space that can come with saying goodbye. Sometimes the loss becomes greater.
“Write down the memories the object evokes and what you think would be lost if you got rid of it,” she says. “Separating from anything we are emotionally attached to will cause us sadness, and it is important that we allow ourselves to feel fully.”
Take time to decompress later
Working your way through sentimental items can be emotionally draining. A simple tip from Seltzer is simply to give yourself time to decompress and understand that you may not be able to tackle other big tasks right away.
Respect these items in other ways
There are plenty of ways to honor the items you’ve decided to physically separate from and keep their memories close to you. Seltzer recommends creating a photo album of items you discard or turning loved ones’ clothing into a memento or two. like a quilt,
“Once you fully understand the importance of the object and the memories surrounding it, you’ll find that you don’t need the physical object anymore,” says McDermott.
