I don’t think I’ve presented myself as some advanced de-clutterer. I’m not! The move certainly sped things up and concentrated my efforts.
But the underlying conditions can creep up again. I was messy Mesi after all. I often had trouble figuring out what to do with the papers and things to come my way. Having too much stuff, no organization system, and there was always something seemingly more important to run off and do.
So every once in a while I look around at the piles of stuff that need to be put away and wonder “How did this happen again”?
It didn’t help that the lost library books, missing socks, crumpled clothes, and wrinkled schoolwork seemed to be moral failings. I went to a religious grade school that was basically Catholic light – no nuns or confession, but chapel on Wednesday and choir required. Learning the Catechism and the 10 Commandments and I took them very seriously! Until I didn’t any longer, but that is a story for a different day.
I know that these aren’t moral failings, but it has been a process to root out the shame and the guilt associated with that. It keeps popping back up, you know? And that throws a wrench into everyday progress or big cleanups. But that is okay as long as the down periods aren’t too low or too long.
I also have a fear of wasting money. My grandparents raised 4 children during the Depression and helped raise me and my sister, and the lessons of frugality sunk in.
And while I know The Container Store is not the first place to go when trying to declutter, I’ve done enough decluttering that I genuinely need to figure out how to store and organize things. But spending money on “just” storing things in a usable and attractive way seems wasteful. I have to convince myself that the advantages are worth it. Then figure out how to do it.
Do you have any sticking points around creating an environment that supports and sustains you? There are some great resources and a few are listed on the More Than Crumbs resource page. Or drop a comment in the comment section below!
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