NO MORE IF’S AND BUT’S.
In my business, I help clients make important choices about their personal belongings: to keep, give to charity, or simply discard. It’s anything but easy, emotional and mentally challenging process for everyone involved. We all get attached, we remember, it’s precious, it has meaning – being very sentimental, I totally get it. But what about things we forgot we had, like desperately wanted pair of shoes you never wore, cheap souvenirs and expensive useless trinkets …All of it hiding in overloaded closets, drawers, garage, attic.. This ‘stuff’ clutter our mind and space, makes us feel guilty and powerless, brings unnecessary stress and prevents us from moving on.
Oh boy! I touched a nerve!!! I hear the screams across the land – IT ‘S MY STUFF!!! We do not let anyone touch our stuff! Only selected and lucky few are allowed! Memories flood our heads every time we dare to think about throwing something away. Our hands go up in despair when confronted by a boyfriend/ husband/ partner/ roommate/ cleaning lady/ dog? with a forbidden question – when will you get rid off your junk?? Sounds familiar? It should be. I know what you are thinking: it’s a miracle they are still alive – right? Yes!!! You are not alone! We all had ‘I ll kill you if you touch my stuff!’ moment. It’s funny and a little sad. And then, I am thinking about victims of natural disasters – distraction of unbearable proportion. 24/7 on TV and Internet, images of children’s eyes, grieving families, people loosing everything in a split second. Watching in disbelieve, I ask myself: do I have survival skills? what would happen to my family?
Suddenly, my ‘valuable stuff” has zero value. I forgot about all of it in a second! Who cares? It’s junk.. Instead, I remember important to me ‘stuff’ – my daughter’s hugs and kisses, Sammy – my love. I remember my deceased friend Anna and our first trip to Paris, how we stood frozen, moved to tears in front of our favorite Renoir painting, I remember being at the Met, when Pavarotti sang his last Tosca. I remember my mom’s Friday nights, her face – looking at her family with love and pride. This priceless ‘STUFF’ does not need appraising and safety of a deposit box. It just stays in my head and my heart, always…And yet, it defines who I am, my heritage. I know what represents true value in my life, what I need to be happy. It took forever – but I finally got it. It’s important to appreciate, love and treasure the fruits of your labor. We need to feel good about our life. After all, it is up to us to decide what is precious and what is not – happiness means different things to different people. I am all for it! Buy, collect – ENJOY!!! As long as it’s not a cover-up for issues still hidden away, holding you back and dragging you down. Find the way to LET IT GO! However, if all you need is someone to help clear out your ‘less important stuff’ – I am your girl! a) I can do it for you. b) I can do it with you. c) I can make you feel good about it. At the end of the day it will be a rewarding experience with added bonus: you don’t have to kill anyone!
Posted by Amazing Anna B
Organizing PRO