By Sherry Onweller

The stuff we have in our home can lead to pleasure or pain. Having the right amount can lead to a feeling of comfort and control, but having too much of the wrong stuff can hold us back from being light, agile, and able to move easily. As we move through the various phases and stages of life, it’s important that our stuff be in sync with our changing needs. Creating a simple practice of purging unneeded items along the way can be highly beneficial. Items that we choose to hold onto should enhance our life, so it is important to know our “why” for holding onto things each step of the way. The key is to be fluid with our belongings and to realize that they, like life, have different seasons and phases of usefulness.

The need for decluttering often feels never-ending. For most of us, our “stuff” accumulates mindlessly, and doesn’t get purged until it becomes a problem or a necessity. However, planning for a smooth transition for stuff as one moves through the various phases of life can help make the journey more enjoyable. Each phase of life’s journey comes with its own emotional, educational, developmental and physical attributes. Taking time to consider the stuff in our home at each phase can help in understanding how our home got to that level of excess and which of those items may no longer be needed. Stuff tends to expand and multiply and having too much clutter in a home can make life stressful. One way to keep stuff manageable is to take an annual usefulness inventory to look at what is in the home and why.

During one’s post-college/young adult phase of life, one begins to amass items that may include life essentials, inexpensively priced furniture and kitchen items, less expensive home décor items, clothes for work, casual, sports/fitness and the like. These may have been lower quality due to having less income.

As one enters the next phase, perhaps having children and or a spouse, better quality items may have been purchased as far as furniture and better-quality kitchen items and décor. If one has kids, child-oriented items would have been amassed such as toys, kids’ clothing of various sizes, sports equipment, etc.

Many of us tend to hold onto the items from each of these phases, neglecting to purge as we go. By the time we enter the empty nest and/or retirement phase, we start to realize that we have a house stuffed full of items that no longer serve us. Thoughts of moving, downsizing or remodeling are common as we consider how to make our living space better serve our needs in this next phase of life. Remember, less is more, so it is much easier to be the steward of fewer than more things. This doesn’t mean we need to have a spartan environment, but it is far more comfortable when the things we hold onto add value to our day-to-day life.

Purging as one goes is the most ideal practice. However, if this hasn’t happened, look at what the current stage of life is and what is needed. Then, release those items that are lesser quality and not things one would engage with at this stage of life. Take the time to pare down and rethink the home contents with new eyes. Cast your vision into the next 5 to 10 years and imagine what that looks like in terms of type of home, geography and lifestyle. Let that serve as the guide for donating and tossing items. Rebalance your things/stuff to fit current and future plans.

Everyday Organizing Solutions by Sherry LLC provides services in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. For more information, call Sherry at 908-619-4561 or email [email protected]. or EverydayOrganizingSolutions.com. See ad, page 24.