Sometimes, it’s the little things that are hard to let go of.
Some of the clutter that accumulates in homes is actually the result of a delayed decision. When there is inner conflict around whether or not to keep an item, the item often gets put aside to be dealt with later. Over time, these delayed decisions can lead to clutter. An organizing strategy, $20 and 20 minutes, helps clients move forward and offers clarity.
Below is an excerpt from a client session. We were decluttering her bathroom to reduce the clutter and make it neater and more organized so she could find personal care items quickly and easily. Hidden in a clear shoebox with other miscellaneous items was a dusty lucite block with a series of holes. I asked, “What about this? Would you like to keep, toss, or donate it?”
Client: “That’s a lucite lipstick holder, It holds 10 lipsticks, but I haven’t worn lipsticks in the past 2 years. Even before Covid, I was mostly wearing tinted lip balms that don’t fit in there.”
Jocelyn: “OK, it sounds like this lipstick holder is not useful to you, so we can let it go.”
Client: “Yeah, but what if I decide to wear lipstick again?”
Jocelyn: “That’s a good question, so let’s examine that thought. What if you decide to wear lipsticks again. Would you reach for this holder as storage?”
Client: (she sighs, and that is an indication of an inner struggle)
Jocelyn: “There’s a strategy called $20 and 20 Minutes. When you are feeling stuck about whether to keep or let go of something, ask yourself, “Can I replace this item for less than $20, and in less than 20 minutes?” If the answer is yes, then you can let it go with the confidence that it’s easy and inexpensive to replace.” “How does that sound to you?”
Client: “It won’t cost me more than $20 to replace it and given all the online shopping options, I could definitely find it in less than 20 minutes. Yeah, we can donate it. Someone else will use it and enjoy it, and I just earned myself more storage space!”
How can you utilize the $20 and 20 Minutes strategy? Drop me a note and tell me how it helped you. I love hearing from you.
