Hope you had a nice weekend. It was gorgeous here in northeast Ohio. We went out to a park, did some spring cleaning, and saw The Last Song. Who knew a Miley Cyrus movie would be such a tear-jerker! I can't believe I'm even going to a Miley Cyrus movie, but when you have middle school foster daughters, what are you gonna do? Now on to more adult things ...
Are you or someone in your family having trouble letting go of something? Let it depreciate emotionally. In other words, put some time or distance or both between you and that item.
For example, when one of our daughters was in grade school, she couldn't bear to part with many of her stuffed animals. We put some up in our attic and then looked at them 6 to 12 months later. She was much less attached emotionally and was able to let some go.
In fact, this child was emotionally attached to everything! You may find that you have a child like this. Each child is different. With a child like this, the process of decluttering may take longer and may require a few steps.
Another tactic is to create a picture of someone else enjoying what you are having trouble releasing. One of our foster daughters imagined a younger child appreciating some of her clothing, and it made it easier for her to get rid of some outgrown clothes.
If you must say good-bye to something that has considerable sentiment, give it to someone you know who will love it as much as you do. You'll be happy that your beloved item is in good hands.
You may want to create a box where you place items that are hard to part with. After a few months, look at the contents of the box to see if you missed them. Based on your reaction, you'll know what to do.
It is not wrong to be sentimental about your belongings. You want to surround yourself with things you love. But if your space is too crowded to enjoy those things you love, what's the point?
When it's hard to declutter:
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