Diana Fletcher

What Should I Do With All my STUFF?

Posted on 06. May, 2010 by Diana in Uncategorized

Today I will address third area of stress. We have talked about people, places, and now it is time for THINGS.

Please remember that an object, is not, in and of itself, stressful. But objects can induce stress reactions.
Think about this: the more you own, the more you have to take care of. The more you have to take care of, the more time it takes. The more time you spend on “thing care,” the less time you have for yourself, your family and your friends. Enter….Stress.

Clutter can affect us in a variety of ways. We may feel anxious when we enter a room with too many objects and not understand why. We may have objects that annoy us or bring back unpleasant memories. You may not even know what you own anymore, and shouldn’t we treasure what we own?

A couple weeks ago, my sister Cindy stayed with us for the weekend. While here, she emptied my closet, forced me to choose what to keep and what to get rid of, then arranged everything into categories in my closet. (No, she doesn’t hire out for this.)

We took huge bags to St. Vincent de Paul, some clothes and accessories to a consignment shop, and threw things out.

The pleasure I get looking through my closet is phenomenal. I am wearing items I forgot I owned, I feel great every time I look in my closet, and a bunch of other people are benefiting from the clothes I didn’t need anymore!

I have actually been doing this little by little, throughout my house. That’s the way I recommend you start. Do one kitchen cupboard at a time. Do one drawer at a time. It is overwhelming to contemplate huge jobs–this is why I hadn’t done my own closet myself. (Thanks again, Cindy!)

Have a friend, family member, or professional organizer help you, and I promise you, you will reduce your stress!
Bonus: Other people may need what you don’t use anymore. Win, win.

Coach Tip: You can control many stress reducers in your life. If money is an issue, this is great time of year to plan a garage sale!

Please write to me with comments and questions about stressors. I love to hear from you!