letting go of your excuses
by
Ramona Creel of OnlineOrganizing.com
At this point, you have probably run across some belongings that
don’t exactly serve a practical purpose in your life. Some items
simply cannot be judged according to their function alone. Certain
objects, such as artwork or collectibles, are kept because they
are aesthetically pleasing. Others are treasured for their sentimental
value. However, there is another set of criteria that you may find
easier to apply in these situations.
IS IT BEAUTIFUL, USEFUL, OR LOVED?
Artist William Morrison developed the most effective way to determine
if an item truly serves a purpose. Ask yourself if the object is
"beautiful, useful, or loved." I teach this phrase to my clients
like a mantra -– repeated over and over and over (actually, they
get a bit sick of it after awhile!) Imagine your most treasured
belongings -– they all seem to fit into one of these three categories,
don’t they? Think about it -– if an object isn’t beautiful, useful,
or loved, then why are you keeping it?
BUT IT WAS EXPENSIVE!
You may say that you are keeping an item because you spent a lot
of money on it, and you can’t stand to see it go to waste. Well,
if you aren’t using it now, isn’t it still going to waste? Keeping
something simply because it was costly is not a good enough REASON.
These objects are nothing but high-price reminders of purchasing
mistakes you made in the past. Perhaps you can sell it (yard sale,
consignment, online auction) and recoup some of the expense.
I MIGHT BE ABLE TO WEAR IT AGAIN!
So, you’re keeping those size 3 clothes because you MIGHT fit into
them again some day. One question –- does keeping a garment that
is too small encourage you to lose weight or fill you with shame
because you still haven’t reached your goal? We heap enough guilt
onto our heads every day without creating additional pressures.
Isn’t it healthier to focus on feeling better about your appearance
NOW? Why not take your old wardrobe to a consignment shop –- then
spend your profits on clothes that fit and make you feel attractive
just as you are.
DON'T "GUILT TRIP" YOURSELF
Another rationalization that I hear fairly regularly is, "Aunt Mildred
gave that to me. She would be so (disappointed, hurt, angry) if
I got rid of it." I can only respond by asking, "Who runs your life
-– you or your Aunt Mildred?" I firmly believe that once you receive
a gift, it is yours to do with as you see fit. We place too much
importance on "stuff" as it is, without creating an unnecessary
sense of obligation. The idea of keeping something that you have
no use for, just so you can drag it out when your relatives visit,
seems a bit dishonest. Wouldn’t you prefer that your
loved ones respect who you are, rather than who they want you to
be?
FRIENDS, ACQUAINTANCES, AND STRANGERS
If you are still having a hard time letting go of your clutter,
you might try an alternative approach. Judith Kolberg, head of the
National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization, suggests that you
treat your belongings as "friends, acquaintances, and strangers."
Friends are those items that you like having around –- ones that
really mean something to you. Acquaintances are objects that come
into your life, stay for a short time, and then leave again. And
strangers are easily discarded –- you have no strong feelings of
devotion toward these items. This method works particularly well
for people who have powerful emotional attachments to their belongings.
Ramona
Creel is the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com
--
offering "a world of organizing solutions!"
Visit OnlineOrganizing.com
for organizing products, free tips, a speakers bureau -- and even
get a referral for a Professional Organizer near you. And if you
are interested in becoming a Professional Organizer, we have all
the tools you need to succeed. (Copyright 2000, Ramona Creel)
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