let’s play 20 questions!

if you’ve pushed up your sleeves for a little spring cleaning, my guess is there’s some decluttering in your forecast, too. 
 
and while spring cleaning is easy enough, the elimination of anything in our environment can quickly get tricky, even worrisome. we start entertaining excuses, and (often) inevitably, those things end up sitting around even longer. 

how about you try this instead?
 
think of seasonal tidying as an opportunity to evaluate what you want circulating in your life.
 
and.
 
consider that every single thing around you either persuades what you want in and out of your life or discourages and diffuses those opportunities. (what do i mean? read this.)

we get out of life what we tolerate, so change begins when we let go of whatever reinforces patterns and feelings that leave us with bone deep ambivalence. 

and to help you climb (once-and-for-all) out of overwhelm and indecision onto higher ground, i compiled a list of 20 questions i often employ when working with clients and their clutter.

so, when you’re ready for an honest conversation with your stuff, start here:

does this make my life easier?what does this mean to me? how does it make me feel?

what memories does this bring up for me?

who gave it to me? what does this remind me of?

does this inspire and lift my energy, or does it distract or demand my attention and energy?

why did i originally buy it? would i buy this again today? if so, how much would i be willing to pay for it?

is it useful? when was the last time i used this?

does this serve an immediate purpose in my life / our home?

do i feel guilty or scared to get rid of this?

why have i been keeping this?

what kind of maintenance / energy does it require? 

do i have something similar?

does this still fit? when i wear this, does it make me feel good?

has this already been given one “pass go!” in a past decluttering session?

could i replace it if i had to?

and finally…

does my clutter (or its chaos) make me tired thinking about it?

do i crave more space in my home?

am i fed up with all the things in my space?

am i comfortable inviting people into our home? does my home stress me out / make me anxious / embarrass me?

is this worth taking up room from something (an experience, a feeling, an item) i really would LOVE (use or need)?

save this and come back to it whenever your resolve dissolves.

trust your instincts and first answers.

and remember…

only when we let things go can we reclaim the part of ourselves that’s attached to them. xo