I love Spring. Here in Atlanta, Spring is a beautiful but brief season. It can be lovely with soft breezes one day and smoldering heat the next. Maybe because we get such big shifts in the temperature here it seems like from one day to the next the trees are just beginning to put out their leaves and then they are out. I’m talking about this because for many, Spring is a growing season. It can signify new beginnings, healing, and a fresh start. At this time of the year many organizers talk about removing the things that no longer serve us, doing spring cleaning. Starting fresh in the home with newly organized, cleaned-out spaces. Recently I had the honor of working with a family to declutter a hoarded home. I was inspired by the courage they showed as they went through decades of belongings.
A Hoarded Home is Full of More Than Stuff
At first glance the amount of stuff in a hoarded home can look like just piles and piles of things. Some of the piles may have avalanched and become less of a stack and more of a slope of cascading books, magazines, papers, and more. Looking at it makes everyone (including the visitor) feel overwhelmed.
The collection of things may relate to many different chapters of the person’s life including but not limited to past jobs, past accomplishments, dreams, trauma, or grief. The person doing the hoarding may feel as if letting go of these things will also release the memories. It may also be that the person feels as if this (the hoard) is the only part of their life over which they have any control.
Living in such conditions is overwhelming, I have said this before. What I want you to understand is that releasing the hoard and clearing the space probably feels impossible. The person may question why they should begin decluttering when they feel as if they’ll never be able to finish it.
A Switch Needs to Flip
A few weeks ago, I took an ICD class with a panel who bravely shared their life experiences. One of the panelists shared that once they ‘flipped the switch’ they changed their behavior. I believe this is true of any change a person wants to make in their life.
Once you make the hard decision to radically change the way in which you’re doing something it can be as if you ‘flipped a switch’ and the former way of doing things doesn’t work anymore.
Acknowledging the hoard is more than anyone can tackle alone , is the first step to taking control of it. Asking for help is often the hardest and most courageous part. That is when the person receives hope. It is the possibility of a new beginning, a commitment to a new chapter or way of living in their home. And having a trained professional the person trusts by their side makes all the difference in the world.
The Process: One Step at a Time
The process to declutter a hoarded home will be different for everyone. If there is a firm deadline by which time the hoard must be under control, the process will involve a team and a faster pace.
If the homeowner has time, the trained professional organizer may work onsite once or twice a week and then have the person do some decluttering on their own in between sessions.
It’s important to understand that everyone’s journey is different. The home did not become full overnight, and it will not be decluttered overnight.
The scenario with the best results will be one where the person can review all their belongings, determine which few to keep, and which may be donated to someone who will benefit from these things.
The decisions about what stays in the home and what is donated or recycled will be difficult and uncomfortable.
Making all these decisions is emotional and exhausting. Imagine watching collections of things you forgot you had because they were buried under mountains of other things surface and then forcing yourself to only keep one or none.
People who have the courage to do this, to change their lives, are very brave.
The Ripple Effect of Letting Go
There is a ripple effect that happens as a person becomes more comfortable with letting things go. The process is a little easier. Things move from piles to places (keep, donation, recycle, trash) faster. There is a feeling of lightness combined with more energy. A shift in the person’s mood takes place.
Momentum builds as the home looks more and more the way the person has envisioned it.
This Kind of Courage Is Inspiring
The courage people show as they declutter a hoarded home is inspiring. They let go of lots of physical belongings to make space for themselves. Additionally, they let go of the shame and embarrassed feelings which tell them they must keep things because they spent money on them.
Whenever I work with someone to declutter a hoarded home, I walk away feeling so happy that they have made progress. I often will look at a few of my own things once I get home and question why I am hanging on to things that no longer serve a purpose.
Everyone, even professional organizers, has things they can let go of. Is there something in your home you no longer need, use, or love? If so, why not take this opportunity to let it go.
Conclusion: Your Spring Invitation
This Spring open your cupboards, closets, and drawers and look deep inside. Look at the places that are hard to reach like the back of the cupboard and the top shelf in the closet. See if there is something lurking there that you no longer need, use, or love. My suspicion is that there will be things that you forgot you had.
Why not let those things go?
Sell them or take them to a donation site. This way someone will use them, and they won’t be taking up valuable space in your cupboards, drawers, and closets.
Have courage to let go of the things you don’t use. Reducing things a little bit here and there is like taking preventative measures, so you don’t end up with a hoarded home.
Please reach out to me to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. Send me an email: dnqsolutions@gmail.com. Let’s talk about the small things you can do to declutter your home this Spring.
Diane N. Quintana is the owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.
