Every month, his credit card was charged for the amount of $500. Over the course of a year, that was $6000 paid quietly to a nondescript facility on the edge of town, where five separate storage units held the overflow of a single life.
Inside the home, the scene was even more telling. Every time I arrived to begin a decluttering session, we first had to go through fresh piles of shopping bags accumulated over the previous seven days. Paralyzed by the sheer visual noise of his home, my client thought the only quick dose of dopamine left available to him was buying more things.
After nine years of organizing hundreds of homes, I can tell you that this story is far from unique. Psychologists who study domestic clutter point to a single root cause — decisional procrastination. Every object on a counter represents a question we were too tired or hesitant to answer in the moment: Where does this go? Will I need it later? Am I ready to let it go?
We tell ourselves elaborate stories to justify the accumulation. We think we might need an item “someday,” or that keeping an object preserves the person who gave it to us. But the sentiment is never stored in the physical item, it lives entirely in the memory. Stashing a forgotten heirloom in a dark closet for a decade, only to dread the day you must take it out, honours no one.
Lose The Clutter Weight
Consider the expensive mistakes hanging in our wardrobes. It happens to the best of us and I’m no exception. Years ago, I spent thousands of dollars on a shearling coat. It was stunning on the hanger, but entirely wrong on me: the cut was unflattering, the color draining. For years, it hung in the closet reminding me of a stupid investment. Every time my eye caught a glimpse of it, I was flooded with regret. The money was already gone the moment I swiped my card; keeping the garment only ensured the guilt stayed too. One morning, I finally accepted the sunk cost, acknowledged the lesson, and donated it.
The moment you let go of what no longer serves your present life, the shift is visceral. Clients consistently describe the aftermath in physical terms: “It feels like I lost ten pounds,” or “A massive weight has been lifted off my chest.”
To make these decisions simple and guilt-free, follow these four rules:
1. The Refund Test
Pick up the item in question and ask yourself: “If someone offered to refund my money for this right now, would I take it?” If the answer is yes, you do not love the item, you are merely clinging to the transaction.
2. The 20/20 Rule For “Just In Case” Items
The credit for this rule belongs to my favourite source The Minimalists. If an item costs less than $20 and can be replaced in under 20 minutes from where you live, release it. The peace of an uncluttered home far outweighs the rare occasion when you will actually need this item. And if, out of hundred you got rid off, you will need to repurchase one, it is totally worth spending $20 and 20 minutes to not be burdened by 99 items you will never need.
3. The Wardrobe Test
How do you choose if you should keep or donate a piece of clothing? It’s simple: If you don’t feel beautiful in the piece of clothing, get rid of it. There’s no reason to own 20 ratty t-shirts to sleep in or wear when you’re painting. Keep what fits, feels good, and suits your current life.
4. The “Trash Bag Sprint” Game
Set a timer for ten minutes. Walk through the house with a single garbage bag and fill it with twenty-five undeniable pieces of waste: broken goods, expired products, and useless paperwork. Take it directly to the outdoor bin. Now, reset the timer for ten minutes with a donation bag for twenty usable items that evoke guilt rather than joy, and place it immediately into your car, to be dropped off as soon as possible.
Clutter drains your energy; let go of the old to welcome the new. Accept the hard truths about sunk costs and “someday” thinking. Don’t overthink it. Just start. You’ll be amazed at how much lighter you feel once you begin.
If you’re ready to clear the clutter and want expert, hands-on support to guide the process with ease, we would love to help. Contact us to discuss your project and start your transformation.
