Generational Clutter: When the “hand-me-downs” Become too Much to Handle.

If I had a dollar for every time a client told me that a parent/grandparent/aunt left them an item that they don’t want but feel guilt about parting with, I would be a rich woman. Organizers have a unique ability to provide both empathy and tough love when approaching these emotional decisions. Typically, once someone calls me they have realized the situation is untenable solo and it’s time to call in reinforcements. Hiring a third party is a great way to bring an objective voice into the equation. But trust me, I am on your team! We talk through goals and objectives of spaces and let that drive our decisions. Here are a few things to keep in mind when tackling generational clutter:

• Do you really enjoy or like the items or are you keeping them out of an obligation? It’s fair to say I have never met the person who left you the items, but I do know one thing for certain: no one wants their loved ones to be burdened by their old belongings. No one!

• If you are going to keep something, let’s honor it! It is always okay to keep things. If we have the space, and approach storage with thoughtfulness and intention, it is totally fine to store items for sentimental reasons. After deciding something is staying make sure to treat the objects with respect by storing them properly.

• All the spaces in our home are connected. Sometimes we focus on a particular aspect of our clutter and create tunnel vision. Bringing in an organizer is a great way to zoom out and see how the other spaces in your home can impede our ability to store and care for those special items.

3 Things I Notice as a Professional Organizer.

1. That Shame Game - Clients are often ashamed or embarrassed that they haven’t been able to “do it themselves.” There is ZERO shame in asking for help. There are only 24 hours in a day after all. Shame, unnecessary comparisons, guilt and a fear of judgement can paralyze people into giving up. Reaching out to a pro organizer can be the motivation and support needed to tackle the clutter head on!

2. Organization and Mental Health - Clutter can interfere with achieving our goals even when they are seemingly unrelated. Clearing our home of clutter and implementing simple systems, frees up the space to tackle other goals such as fitness, hobbies, or building relationships.

3. But How Long Will it Take? - Ah, a question as old as time. Clients often ask how long a room/project will take. Fair question. The answer: I don’t know. What I do know is clients are always pleasantly surprised by how much we can get done in one session (about 4 hours). “Wow I can’t believe how much we got done” is a common refrain. With dedicated time and focus (which is why you pay a professional organizer), spaces we’ve been meaning to tackle for years, can show progress fairly quickly.