When a client contacts me normally their first question is how much do I charge, followed by “how long does it take” and then the one that is really bothering them: “Are you going to force me to throw my things away?”
Leaving aside the 2 first questions (I will write a small article on both later), I want to focus on the third question.
My answer to the question is:
No, I don’t force my clients to throw anything away. I do however challenge my clients to explain why certain items are not to be discarded.
When do I do that? Certainly when we find more than enough of the same objects (and of course, that it doesn’t apply to collections) and when a client makes a sad face (or even cries) when touching certain things.
I understand that the things in your home are part of your history. However, I always encourage my clients to be surrounded only by things that make them happy.
To every client who expresses his or her hesitation on letting go I ask:
– Does it make you happy or sad when you look at it?
– Is it a memory of a special person, and if so, do you have other objects that could be a better reminder of that person?
-Do you really need (pick a number) of (pick an object)?
Normally, after answering those questions the clients are much more inclined to let certain things go.
I then, advise my clients to keep the best thing that represents a person or a memory. The best thing is the trophy to be displayed with honor.
To the clients that decide to keep the extra things or the things that make them sad I always remind I am there to help the organizing process to be more bearable, FUN even (and I have heard from several clients that they never expected to be organized so fast or even enjoy it). I also tell them that I am there to share my expertise and guide them toward whatever they told they were looking for in our assessment, but in the end of the day I leave to my own home and their things will stay with them, meaning that the FINAL word about what goes and what stays is always the client’s.
That said, I completely understand the emotional weight of such drastic decisions… Letting go means freeing yourself of your past and sometimes the past was so good, so beautiful that we want to hold to it; but memories are only memories and carrying a physical token of that memory can be exhausting and expensive.
It is tiring to clean a home full of things, it is expensive to move those things from one home to another… and the most important thing: it is impossible for anyone to enjoy their treasures if they are buried bellow or behind meaningless things.
There are alternative ways of keeping a memory and letting things go. Can you think of one right now? Read about them here.
Another point that I wanted to make is that if you believe in energy, as I do, you will know that energy has to be recycled. I lost count of how many times I receive emails, texts or calls telling me how much better the person is feeling in their environment and/or that something pleasurable unexpected had happened after the organizing session. It is the energy flowing!
Letting go IS difficult, but the reward that comes after that is much bigger. Its like if you just got a new journal and are ready to write a new story in the chapter of your life.