Oh Crap! I Got Rid of Too Much Stuff!
Spring cleaning should really be classified as a temporary disorder, causing us to do things we would never consider under different circumstances. Overcome by the urge to purge, it’s easy to toss perfectly good items out with the genuine clutter. When you open your closet door and think, “I know I had more than a pair of Pumas and a black blazer at one point; I’ve been robbed!”—that’s probably a sign that you overdid it with the spring cleaning.
It’s definitely happened to me. I was so thrilled to get rid of anything I didn’t absolutely love that I found out after the fact that apparently, I didn’t love any work-appropriate clothes. Oops. Fortunately, it’s easy to fix. Learn from my mistake, and you can recover from overenthusiastic decluttering pretty painlessly.
Have a Decluttering Detente
It may be really satisfying to drop off a huge load at Goodwill the same day you declutter, but it’s better in the long run to work in stages. Pull everything you’re thinking of getting rid of and move it to an out-of-sight area. (If you’re pressed for space, try under the bed or in the trunk of your car. ) Then, just let it all sit for a week or two. That’s enough time to go through a laundry cycle and decide if your pared down wardrobe is still robust enough to function. You might also decide to spare a few items, and that’s completely okay. After all, decluttering isn’t just about chucking stuff out the door in the largest quantities possible, it’s about loving the end result.
Take Your Time When Replacing Items
Maybe it’s too late by the time you realize that you no longer have any pants left. (Hey, it could happen.) If that’s the case, don’t run out and buy a bunch of new items all at once. If you can, take your time to fill your closet back up to a workable size. Why? You want to fill that space with things you truly enjoy, not just stopgap items. Those are the items that become clutter after just a couple of wearings. Again, speaking from experience here. I bought a bunch of mediocre items to fill out my diminished work wardrobe and ended up regretting a lot of the purchases. Not only did I not have a closet that rocked, but I had spent money to achieve that result. Working with a minimal wardrobe would have forced me to be creative and figure what I really needed.
Don’t Sweat It; It’s Just Stuff
Finally, don’t panic. Whether it’s your wardrobe, your pantry, or your collection of books, having too little probably isn’t all that urgent. Most “things” are replaceable. Take a step backward and ask yourself whether your overzealous spring cleaning is worth worrying about. (Hint: It’s probably not.) In the end, you can replace what little needs to be replaced and you’ve still come away with a cleaner, more streamlined end result. It’s just not worth overanalyzing for most folks.
Anybody alse have spring cleaning horror stories? Please feel free to share your advice and tales of woe in the comments!
Photo courtesy of Viewoftheworld
Similar Posts:
- Four Ways to Purge Your Closet
- Decluttering: Good for Your Marriage
- Keep the Clutter from Returning: Five (Mostly) Easy Ways
- Quick & Dirty Closet Raid
- Too Much Stuff? Sleep on It
This post has 18 comments
April 27th, 2009
I don’t think I would ever get to this point. I’m getting better though, my wife used to have to pry my 20 year old t-shirts out of my clenched fists. I do throw stuff out now. But my “détente” area is a shelf in the hall closet. I put stuff in there and if I don’t go in and pull something out in the following couple of months to use it, it gets tossed. Not quite radical, but this slow and steady method works for me…
Cheers,
Adam
April 27th, 2009
Getting into the mood and starting a clearing clutter session is often the hardest part. So, if you happen to throw out a few extra things by mistake its a small price to pay for creating the space for the new to arrive. New opportunities and new possibilities, that is.
April 27th, 2009
My husband would say that I am the poster child for your post. I get on a roll and off it goes!
I don’t believe that I end up buying it all back like he saids. I may miss it but I get creative with what I am left with.
I think he is projecting his separation angst on me! I just consider my donations as continuing the life cycle of stuff!
April 27th, 2009
I do it all the time, I get a little carried away at a clean up and throw stuff out thinking I’ll never need it again, then boom, a day or two later…
Cody Dream-Life-Coachings last blog post..Attitude Of Gratitude
April 27th, 2009
@Adam: So you’re saying there’s hope for the eventual demise of my husband’s old t-shirts? Phew.
And Middle Way’s comment has me pondering what the life cycle of stuff really is. Interesting…
April 27th, 2009
“It is still all out there in the world, on the planet.” That is my mantra for when I panic about having thrown out those stored pipe cleaners, tissue paper, sweatshirts unread books- all saved for “someday” when I might use them.
April 27th, 2009
I’ve definitely had moments like the one you described above where I thought that I lost something when, really, I’d just given it away. This isn’t pleasant, but I’ve been giving away a lot of stuff for a long time and the amount of times this has happened to me have been few and far between. Usually you have more trouble with too much stuff than you do with not enough stuff.
Positively Presents last blog post..let’s go! 5 steps for getting on the road to your goal
April 27th, 2009
I didn’t know this could actually happen! As a bad pack rat (married to an even worse pack rat) we are constantly trying to get rid of stuff. I can’t imagine throwing out too much but it sounds like a problem I should aim for…
April 27th, 2009
I often regret getting rid of stuff. I still prefer it to living with clutter.
Vered – MomGrinds last blog post..Fear of Rape
April 27th, 2009
In the current “culture” of DE-cluttering, this post is a great reminder that everything should be done in moderation — even cleaning out our closets!!
Allegras last blog post..Awesome Item of the Day
April 27th, 2009
I’m still more likely to keep more than I need. But I’d rather be on the side of throwing too much away rather than too little.
Roger – A Content Lifes last blog post..Staying Open-Minded With Others
April 27th, 2009
This scenario happens quite often, particularly for those who have been reluctant to declutter and then get the bug. They are so gung-ho that they do lose perspective of the process.
In their zeal, they overdo it (literally) and live to regret it. Which can then justify their own original desire to hang on to stuff.
As someone said: In moderation.
I’d add:: De-clutter with thought and a plan and a full understanding of your intentions.
And some real honesty about what you really do not want to part with. Folks often try to be very brave and end up miserable (some things, alas, have sentimental value and cannot be replaced.)
So, take your time and don’t toss just to toss. (That really defeats the purpose of true de-cluttering, where you need to take time to evaluate what and why you’re tossing to truly benefit. It’s not just about space clearing.)
April 27th, 2009
Horror stories? Quite the opposite – we usually do alright putting up a bunch of stuff on craigslist (or heck, even a garage sale)…and the rest goes to the thrift store for our community. How cool is that?
Christophers last blog post..8 Year-Old Girl Saves Self, Grandmother by Taking Wheel
April 28th, 2009
There have been a few times when I realized I threw out my favorite pair of dress socks or the t-shirt I was saving for a special occasion that actually showed up. Accidentally discarding the 2% of stuff you might actually use is worth it to live simply and as you mentioned if it turns out to be necessary then it can always be easily replaced with something of value.
Dave Ridarellis last blog post..More Silly Fitness Mistakes I’ve Made Over The Years
April 28th, 2009
Thanks for the tips! I’d use them when I organize my stuff
Jocelyns last blog post..How Do You Treat a Bad Person?
April 28th, 2009
Sara, to be honest, I would like to have this problem, at least once.
My husband, on the other hand, would not.
Alison Wileys last blog post..The Sexiness Of Spring
May 1st, 2009
As a constant de-clutterer, I always try to think of how I would feel if a tornado took out my house and all of my belongings (I live in the midwest and this is a very real possibility for me) — and quite frankly, there is very little I would miss. My own dear husband, however, claims that given my druthers, I’d live in a completely empty, white house with no furniture and no pictures on the wall… not so!! I’d have a chair, for certain.
I guess when you don’t have a lot of NICE things to begin with, it’s rather simple to part with. I had a great deal of “Hey, Want This?” furniture and clothing that I eventually learned I didn’t want or need, which I have elected to get rid of. Yes, sometimes that means that the room looks empty without the couch in it for awhile, but at least the place no longer smells like someone’s long-dead cat…
Thanks for the post!
Dina
June 10th, 2009
Normally, I hate to get rid of anything that still has useful life, but only have so much space, so I’m trying to strike a better balance.
I kept a pair of high end shoes that my sister-in-law gave me for years, and never wore them. I thought they were dated (they were, at that time).
About a week after giving them to the local goodwill, I was reading a article on the latest trends, and what should I see? A picture of the very shoes I had just given away.
*sigh*
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