Space Treat: The Power of the Purge!

This is one of the things I just love about organizing with my clients… so, last week a client and I are elbow deep in her papers, sifting through and making sense of them when she exclaims… “It feels so good to get rid of this stuff and make some new space! I haven’t used this stuff in 10 years and I’ve been carting it around during 2 moves! It’s just amazing how you hold onto stuff that you never end up using or even needing.”

Wow! It’s so fantastic to be there with a client when they start to experience the power of the purge! I love sharing these moments with them!

And it led directly to today’s Space Treat topic…The power of the purge!

It seems to have 3 distinct phases:

Phase 1. Overwhelm:
The thought of even trying to tackle your papers, your utility closets, your clothes, or even your kitchen has become totally overwhelming because you know deep in your heart that this process is going to be full of tons of items that need a decision to finally be made about it and this sends you running to a simpler task like washing the dishes, doing the laundry or checking email again. Thus putting off the dreaded task again and directly adding more fuel to the overwhelm flames.

Phase 2. Digging in:
You’ve made a conscious decision to turn your inertia into action and now your brain is getting a full throttle work out. Your papers, your clothes, your closets are finally getting the attention they’ve been begging you for. (Hint: You know your stuff is begging for attention, the more you dread giving it.) You’re finally digging into your disorganization and making decisions whether to keep or toss your stuff.

Phase 3. Liberation and relief:
You’ve plowed through shelves, drawers and boxes. You addressed everything head on and put it in an appropriate place… keep, donation, recycle, toss.

Ultimately each phase has it’s own unique power.
Phase 1: The power that you feel your stuff has over you.
Phase 2: The power you claim for yourself and your space by choosing to finally address your stuff.
Phase 3: The power that embodies you knowing that you’ve successfully finished this once daunting task and now have new space to breath, move and live in!

Go ahead now, go experience the power of the purge!

Erica Ecker
www.TheSpacialist.com