“I’m keeping this just in case I may need it someday”. I hear this a lot from clients as we are decluttering. We run across an item that they forgot they had. They will actually tell me that they forgot they had this thing, but seem happy that they found it.
It may be something that they don’t need now, but they may need it someday. In my experience, most of the time someday never comes. It’s living in fear, the fear that you may need this thing after you let it go.
This mindset may be more prevalent in older adults that came from the depression era and passed it down to their children. Money was scarce and it was an ingrained belief to keep things because we may need it someday even if we’re not using it now.
When I hear this phrase, I take the opportunity to learn more about this thing that they are keeping just in case they may need it someday. After all, they want to declutter and organize their spaces, that’s why they contacted a professional organizer. Part of what I do is to help them make the keep or discard decisions.
There are many factors that may determine what we keep and what we let go. These factors can only be determined by their owners. As I mentioned above, part of what I do is to help the client make those sometimes difficult, keep or discard decisions. I do this by asking the important questions below.
Do you really need it?
Will you use it regularly or only on occasion? What are those occasions?
Do you have the space to store it?
What’s the worst thing that will happen if you let it go?
If you honestly answer the questions above about all of your things, you may find thingat the thing that you thought that you may need someday, is no longer needed and you can fearlessly let it go.
