Is your life overflowing with stuff? Even if your belongings have ‘homes’ and you know where to find them, does the sheer volume feel overwhelming? Drawing on more than thirty years of working with clients and my own life experience, I’ve seen how the accumulation of stuff happens. It’s a slow (and sometimes not-so-slow) creep of collecting. 

One day, you look around and wonder:

• Where did all this stuff come from?

• Do I still need these things?

• Are they taking up too much space, management time, and mental energy?

• Is all this stuff necessary for the life I’m living now?

• What will happen to my belongings when I’m gone?

• What would life feel like with less?

• What would it feel like to align what I own with the life I’m living?

There are many ways to think about clutter and the physical items that accompany your life. Let’s look at three reasons why decluttering sooner rather than later could benefit you. If even one idea resonates with you, it could be the cue and motivation you need to begin the decluttering process.

3 Compelling Reasons to Declutter Now Instead of Waiting

1. 300,000!

A frequently cited statistic in the organizing industry and media is the number of things we accumulate. Estimates suggest that the average American household may contain hundreds of thousands of items. The number often cited is 300,000. That’s a lot of stuff!

Whether that’s your number is a separate question. I don’t know what our household number is. Out of curiosity, I counted some objects in a few areas, and I was surprised by what I found:

• 778 – Number of items in the bedroom clothing closet, including clothes, hangers, shoes, shoe boxes, and some accessories. We have additional clothes and shoes in the dressers and other areas.

• 289 – Number of items in the dining room china cabinet. We have more dishes in the kitchen.

• 49 – Number of items in the desk pen cup. I have many more writing instruments in other areas and in the supply cabinet.

The 1,116 items counted so far represent only a tiny portion of what we have in our household. I'm not sure whether we actually own 300,000 items. The idea is to recognize what you have and align it with what you want, need, and use.

By focusing on specific areas and doing a quick count, I spotted several things that could go. For instance, I don’t like all the pens that have landed in the pen cup—time to declutter. Even in the china cabinet, there are several dishes I don’t want that could go. While I regularly go through my clothing closet, more could be edited out.

Being aware of how much you have will help you declutter the things that no longer matter or are not useful to you.

2. Yikes!

Clutter can cause stress and affect your ability to focus. My clients have described how clutter affects them as,

• “I have so much clutter I can’t even think.”

• “I don’t want to feel overwhelmed by my stuff.”

• “The clutter is distracting, and I can’t focus.”

• “Clutter makes me feel agitated and angry.”

• “I don’t want to feel clutter-related stress and anxiety.”

Research backs up the experience my clients describe. UCLA Center on Everyday Lives of Families (CELF) conducted research and discovered that “cluttered home environments were associated with elevated cortisol levels – especially among women who described their homes as chaotic or stressful.” Cortisol is the hormone produced as part of the body’s stress response.

Neuroscience research on cognitive overload and attention, including Princeton University’s work, shows that visual clutter, or “competing visual stimuli,” reduces the brain’s ability to focus and process information efficiently.

Knowing how clutter can affect your stress, attention, and functioning makes a compelling case for decluttering sooner rather than later.

“Clutter can cause stress and affect your ability to focus.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. For love.

Recently, I came across an Instagram video featuring Alice D’Antoni Phillips, a psychologist-turned-chef. She discussed the emotional struggle of letting go of sentimental items while downsizing. Alice also described letting go as “an act of care.” She didn’t want to burden her loved ones with decisions about her stuff after she’s gone.

Then she said a beautiful phrase that stuck with me. It’s so gentle, compassionate, and loving. Alice said, “Easing the path of life for the people you love.” In that, she acknowledged that we’re all going to be gone at some point. We are born. We live. We die. That’s the reality.

The other part was about making it easier for the people you love by handling your stuff before you go. Making decisions and decluttering now are expressions of love.

It’s never too soon to start decluttering. Your loved ones will thank you.

Why Declutter Now?

There are countless reasons to declutter now, without delay. Some might be:

• Your clutter is causing undue stress.

• You have more things than you use, need, or want.

• You want to make decisions about your belongings so your loved ones don’t have to after you’re gone.

• You want to downsize and prepare to move.

• You’re fed up with all the stuff.

• You want greater clarity of mind and in your space.

What are your compelling reasons to declutter? What is motivating you? Which ideas resonate most? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed or disorganized? Is the clutter in your life causing stress and keeping you from living the life you want? I’m here to help! You don’t have to do this alone. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s connect! I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact Form

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Decluttering, getting organized, and living with more ease are possible, especially with support.

Enjoy the latest edition (v54) of the “What’s Interesting?” series, which features my most recent finds that inspire, spark curiosity, and relate to organizing and life balance. These unique next step discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are an engaged, vibrant, and generous group. I am deeply grateful for your ongoing presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and further contributions to this curated collection.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Next Step Discoveries

1. Interesting Read – Compassionate Next Step

Recently, a client shared with me a book she was reading, How to Keep House While Drowning – A Gentle Approach to Cleaning and Organizing by therapist, author, podcaster, and speaker KC Davis, LPC. I was curious, so I read it, too.

The ideas resonated deeply with my client, who appreciated the realistic, kind approach to organizing and care tasks that encouraged gentle next steps. One of KC’s philosophies is “You don’t exist to serve your space; your space exists to serve you.”

How often do you feel like your stuff is running you? KC helps shift the perspective and offers advice for “how to care for ourselves when we feel like we are drowning.”

From practical organizing and cleaning tips to kinder self-talk, KC shares personal experiences of what has worked for her and others. She describes care tasks (laundry, cooking, cleaning, organizing, etc.) as neutral rather than a moral failing, even when they challenge you.

KC describes her own perspective shift and says, “Let me tell you what the mess in my home means. It means I’m alive. Dirty dishes mean I’ve fed myself. Scattered hobby supplies mean I am creative. Scattered toys and mess mean I am a fun mom…And occasionally, mess means I’m struggling with depression or stress. But those aren’t moral failings either, and neither is that moldy coffee cup I keep not taking to the kitchen.”

A few additional reframes KC offers include:

• “Chores > care tasks”

• “Chores are obligations. Care tasks are kindness to self.”

• “Cleaning > resetting the space.”

• “Cleaning is endless. Resetting the space has a goal.”

• “It’s so messy in here! > this space has reached the end of its functional cycle.”

Filled with personal struggles and compassionate solutions, KC guides us on a journey toward reducing self-criticism and guilt, and finding more peace at home, one step at a time.

2. Interesting Perspective – Restful Next Step

It’s easy to overlook your needs. Do you find yourself pushing, doing, scheduling, organizing, and constantly in motion? There is a reason we call ourselves human beings, not human doings. ‘Being’ involves both action and rest.

A recent Real Simple article featured a Swedish tradition called “fredagsmys” that beautifully encourages a balance between work and relaxation. The translation means “cozy Friday” or “Friday coziness.” This marks an intentional shift from the workweek to a relaxing weekend. Fredagsmys embodies connection, relaxation, and comfort. It is practiced by spending Friday night at home with your family or friends, watching movies, relaxing, eating, connecting, and being cozy with soft blankets and low lighting.

If you find yourself constantly pushing, adding some fredagsmys into your week could be the next step you need. But if that feels too big and challenging, find other smaller ways to build in rest and no-stress moments. Baby steps.

Before you know it, you’ll be ready for an entire night of relaxation, connection, and calm.

3. Interesting Product – Organized Next Step  

As the clocks just moved ahead an hour for the annual ‘spring forward,’ this signals that the season is about to change. Another sign is the greenery emerging from the ground. The plants are happy to see the light after being buried under piles of snow.

With that spring lens in mind, I came across this lovely butter-yellow or “yellow pear” steel rolling storage cart with a wood top. It’s a limited- edition collaborative design created by Yamazaki and Apartment Therapy.

If you need additional storage space with easy access for kitchen essentials like spices, oils, pasta, or snacks, this slim rolling cart (5” deep x 18” wide x 27” tall) will fit into the smallest spots.

This storage cart will make it easy and fun to organize your essentials.

“You don’t exist to serve your space; your space exists to serve you.”

— KC Davis, LPC

4. Interesting Resource – Capture Next Step

With over thirty years of helping clients declutter, let go, and get organized, I’ve seen firsthand how belongings hold meaning. This is one reason why letting go can be challenging.

Artifcts founder Heather Nickerson developed an app-based service that helps you record stories and memories about meaningful items and share them securely with loved ones. Documenting each item’s story can be key to letting go of the physical object.

The easy-to-use app helps you add photos, videos, audio recordings, and notes. You can document “what an item is, why it matters, and what should happen to it next.” This is an invaluable tool when you’re “organizing, downsizing, or planning your legacy.”

Heather’s inspiration for launching Artifcts came after her mother’s death. She inherited her mom’s possessions but really wanted to know the stories behind them. However, her mom was no longer there to share those stories. Artifcts helps you “preserve the meaning behind the objects that speak to who we are and where we’ve been.”

If you want your next step to include memorializing and letting go, this app is worth exploring.

5. Interesting Thought – Tiny Next Step

When your next step feels overwhelming, it might be too large. There are several ways to move forward. The first is to reduce the overwhelm. When you’re emotionally heightened, the amygdala takes over and blocks access to the thinking and action parts of the brain.

One strategy is to do some simple breathing.

• Breathe in deeply through your nose.

• Exhale through your mouth longer than the inhale.

• Repeat that several times.

Your system will settle and calm, giving you the capacity to choose what happens next.

Once you’re in a less anxious state, take the next step by making it as small as possible. This helps prevent feeling overwhelmed. For example, instead of deciding that the next step is decluttering the entire kitchen, choose to declutter one corner of the kitchen counter. If that feels too overwhelming, focus on decluttering a small pile or simply removing items that are being routed elsewhere.

After completing that tiny step, you can choose to continue or stop. If you decide to do more, repeat the process and pick another tiny next step. Small and doable is better than big and paralyzing.

Next Step Options

When you want to move forward but feel stuck, what will help? There are many approaches and ways to consider next, as I shared with you.

Which of these discoveries resonates most? Do you have any next step ideas to add? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or disorganized? Is figuring out your next step feeling elusive? I’m here to help. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s talk. I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact form

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Moving forward and getting organized are possible, especially with support.

What is so important about letting go? Why have I devoted chapter four of my book, The Other Side of Organized, to this specific topic? On a daily basis, the work I do with my clients revolves around letting go. Many days are spent editing and releasing papers, clothing, dishes, memorabilia, expired groceries, books, jewelry, toys, gifts, bags and many other items.

Letting go of these physical belongings, especially when they consume space and no longer provide value, transforms the attitude of the person releasing them. While they have had challenges in the past with letting go, when they finally fill bags of items to donate, recycle or discard, they become almost giddy. Their spaces, which felt overwhelming and cluttered, become places that feel good to live in. I feel fortunate that my clients allow me to be part of this transformative process.

What happens when you know it’s time to let go but you aren’t quite ready? The truth is that I’m thinking about a different type of letting go- not things, but children. Our youngest daughter is about to graduate high school. While it’s not time yet, she will be leaving for college in a few short months. After having kids, friends and activities grace our home for 20 plus years, our lives are about to dramatically change. Cassie is excited to be going to college. She’s ready. Intellectually, I know this is a good thing.

While I’ve thought about this time, prepared the best I could, encouraged more independence and pulled back a bit, there is still a pang in my heart because I understand that this beautiful segment of our lives is coming to a close. Sure, we’ll always be parents. Sure, we’ll always be here if our daughters need us. But the way we live day to day will cease to exist as we know it. This is the natural progression of raising kids. You nurture, love and encourage them. Then they go off and make their way in the world. It’s what you raise them to do.

I know a few things about letting go. It’s a necessity. It isn’t easy. But when you are willing to let go of what needs to be released, wonderful things do happen. I know Cassie will spread her wings and perhaps her parents will, too.