No, You Don't Have to Get Rid of Things

In the last blog I told you that yes, you have to get rid of things if you want a clear and organized space. In this blog, I'll outline some of the times that getting rid of things isn't required.

For some people, a major roadblock to seeking out an organizer is the fear that s/he will "make me get rid of everything". Let me set your mind at ease. It's not an organizer's job to "make" you do anything. We offer advice based on our expertise, but ultimately the decision about your stuff is yours alone.

Even though the first step towards organization is often to reduce the volume of belongings, that isn't always the case.

Here are 5 instances when it makes sense for you to NOT get rid of things.

1. You have plenty of space. It doesn't happen often, but sometimes the problem is solely that similar items are not grouped together or are not in places that make sense for their intended use. In these cases, sorting and organization products might be all you need.

2. Having excess is helpful. Sometimes it's appropriate to have duplicates and excess. If you have the space and want to buy in bulk, then you'll have excess on hand. If you have mobility issues and want to keep duplicates on each floor of your house, go right ahead. If you have a few kids and extras help keep the bickering to a minimum, your sanity is worth hanging on to the extras. If you're a busy professional and don't have time to do laundry often, more underwear is a must.

3. You're in transition. Times of upheaval aren't always best for making decisions about what to keep. If you're going through a divorce, if there was a death in the family, if you just had a baby, or if you're starting a new career, it may not be the right time for a decluttering project. Sticking with the current status until things settle down will mean less decision fatigue and more bandwidth for navigating the life change without losing your mind. There'll be plenty of time in the future for purging.

4. It's not your stuff. It can be extremely damaging to relationships to discard the belongings of others without their permission. As tempting as it may be, you should avoid making decisions about whether or not to keep things that don't belong to you. If your loved-one hasn't bought into the decluttering process, inspire them with your own actions related to your own stuff. Eventually they may catch the decluttering bug from you. Until then, stay in your lane and keep their stuff.

5. You want to keep everything. Unless there is a safety issue, keeping stuff just because you want to is perfectly valid. It's your stuff and your decision.

“There are times when decluttering is not the best or most appropriate action.”

Most of the time the first answer to an organizing problem is to get rid of things, but there are times when decluttering is not the best or most appropriate action. Your space and organizing needs are unique to you and whether you keep or discard will depend on your current life circumstances and goals. Sometimes that means letting go, and sometimes that means hanging on.