Time to break free of any decluttering traps caused by emotional attachment .

There are many different types of decluttering traps that are the result of emotional attachment.  Emotion, not need nor desire, has been attached to things.  Let’s just jump right in.

The first decluttering traps caused by emotional attachment are routed in money

1. Maybe someday… I will loose weight. Keeping clothes that are either too small is a reminder that you have not achieved your goal and that you are not happy with your physical self. If you loose weight you deserve a new wardrobe since what you are holding onto is most likely outdated.
2. I will need it, I will fix it. Someday is only a possibility of a possible state in the future. Why let it stay in the present? Now is your reality.
3. ‘Just in case’… is the first cousin of Maybe someday.
4. I paid good money for that. It’s usefulness for you has past. The time has come to donate, recycle or trash it.

Then there are things that belonged to other people that have become a decluttering trap for you.

1. That belonged to my mother, husband, child, etc. Disposing of family and other loved ones possessions that are no longer in your life, doesn’t mean that you will forget about them. Keep no more that 3 things from a past love one if you must. Let the rest go, you are not letting go of your memories and you need to make space in your life for new.
2. For some parents, it is difficult to let go of the child at each stage of development. They tend to hang onto their artwork, their clothes and outgrown toys. Consider how you have to let go along the way. Most importantly, parents want their children become all they can and grow into responsible adults. They are ours only for a short time as it should be.
3. It was a gift. Think about why you received the gift. You were the recipient of a gift from someone who cares about you. As a result of someone’s thoughtfulness, the gift invoked warm and fuzzy feelings in you. The gift has already done its job. It achieved what it was intended to do. You know the saying ‘It’s not the gift that counts but the thought behind it’. Regifting is perfectly fine if it can give someone else that feeling of express affection.
4. Are you storing other people’s things and it is causing a problem for you?  Perhaps when your parents moved in they didn’t rightsize.  Has your child moved out and left their stuff? Perhaps you don’t want to offend them. It’s your house, if it is a problem for you, then they should rent a storage unit if they have to.

Big Question; If you lost it would you replace it?

Emotion is a very strong motivator for the way we behave. Decluttering is an emotional journey, however, it is also a cleansing journey. Prepare yourself mentally. Getting really motivated and visualizing what you house will look like when you are done, will result in helping you stay the course. It is easier to clean. As a result, friends and family are invited over more often. Likewise, when you need something, you be able to find it. Most of all, realize that you will be living in the now, today and not in the past.