The Cost of Clutter: Letting Go of What No Longer Serves you

As I opened the door to the storage unit, I heard him saying, “You’re just going to close your eyes and throw it all in the garbage.” Even though he wasn’t there, I answered aloud, “No, I’m not.”

My chest tightened and I started to cry, but it was way too hot and I had a lot to move, so there wasn’t time for that. My father had died four summers ago, and every piece of him, and my childhood, was crammed in there, costing nearly $200 a month. Finally, I had worked up what I believed to be a good plan (and enough courage) to solve that problem.

As soon as my brand-new customized shed was installed, I rented the largest truck I could drive and transferred everything to my own “storage” unit where it sat undisturbed for another five summers. Well, that was until she insisted on more space and a sensible place to keep staging items. My solution was another expensive shed. However, her solution was efficient, and it directly addressed the unspoken problem. She cleared the garage and labeled quadrants: SELL, DONATE/GIVE AWAY, THROW AWAY, and KEEP.

When we buy space for our stuff instead of space for our lives, the clutter becomes a mental weight choked full of delayed decisions, guilt, and grief. Additionally, these “things” occupy functional living space and impact our budgets. The emotional attachment is quite a cost to bear as well.

It has been said that “The price of a memory is the memory of the sorrow it brings.” As we remember those who passed items down along with the memories tied to them, it is natural to feel sacredness along with fear of forgetting someone or being disrespectful. Feelings are notorious for having a paralytic effect on us. The facts urge us to take a deep inventory of what’s really going on inside: Are we honoring these memories by keeping them piled in boxes, or are we simply afraid to decide? Ultimately, deciding and then acting grants us freedom.

As we repurpose, digitize, recycle, or place items into the hands of those who will give them new life, we transform spaces: a guest room reclaimed, a usable closet, a den/exercise space, a reading nook, or a garage where vehicles can once again park. Releasing an item does not have to extinguish the memory; it can honor the life that gave it meaning.

Our homes are much more than storage units or museums. They’re places meant for living… where we connect and maintain sacred space for what truly matters: relationships, experiences, and rest.

The Brazier Group Guide to Decluttering and Reclaiming Space

Face the Dragon

Beginning at an early age, our built-in protective mechanisms cause us to fear or shy away from whatever potential monster may be hiding in the closet, under the bed, or in a dark room. When it comes to dealing with the known items which we have kept in the dark, it can be useful to acknowledge the emotions and then redirect that energy to start moving things and opening boxes.

We recommend setting up a sizeable staging area where you can spread everything out where it can be seen.

Sort items into categories with specific qualifications:

• KEEP- (can use now and regularly, truly love it, you have someone to pass it onto who you know will truly want and cherish it)
• SELL- (there is monetary value, and it is ready for new life with someone else)
• DONATE/GIVE AWAY- (useful but not needed, you know someone who could and would use it right now)
• RELEASE- (throw away, recycle, turn into a digital memory)

Ask yourself:

• If I could, would I buy this again today?
• Does this item earn its space in my home or budget?
• If this disappeared tomorrow, would my life change
• What is the highest and best use of this item?
• Am I keeping this out of love or guilt?

Claim Your Treasure

The most valuable treasures are certainly guarded by the fiercest dragons. Literally, once you bring the beast forth out of the darkness where you can fully see it, you can face and slay it once and for all.

Your newfound treasure is more valuable than you could’ve ever imagined:

• Freedom from the burden of carrying all that emotional weight
• Extra cash from sales
• An almost magical multiplication of space
• Joy from blessing others
• “New again” usable items i.e., book to read, decorations, cookware/silverware, artwork, jewelry, or nostalgic items like records that you can play and enjoy

If you need help moving forward, we have a curated network of trusted vendors to support every step of the transition from organizing and packing to redesign, deep cleaning, repairs, and even full estate sales. Whatever your home needs, we’ll connect you with the right professionals to make the process smooth and stress-free.