Generational Clutter: When the “hand-me-downs” Become too Much to Handle.
If I had a dollar for every time a client told me that a parent/grandparent/aunt left them an item that they don’t want but feel guilt about parting with, I would be a rich woman. Organizers have a unique ability to provide both empathy and tough love when approaching these emotional decisions. Typically, once someone calls me they have realized the situation is untenable solo and it’s time to call in reinforcements. Hiring a third party is a great way to bring an objective voice into the equation. But trust me, I am on your team! We talk through goals and objectives of spaces and let that drive our decisions. Here are a few things to keep in mind when tackling generational clutter:
Do you really enjoy or like the items or are you keeping them out of an obligation? It’s fair to say I have never met the person who left you the items, but I do know one thing for certain: no one wants their loved ones to be burdened by their old belongings. No one!
If you are going to keep something, let’s honor it! It is always okay to keep things. If we have the space, and approach storage with thoughtfulness and intention, it is totally fine to store items for sentimental reasons. After deciding something is staying make sure to treat the objects with respect by storing them properly.
All the spaces in our home are connected. Sometimes we focus on a particular aspect of our clutter and create tunnel vision. Bringing in an organizer is a great way to zoom out and see how the other spaces in your home can impede our ability to store and care for those special items.
