Learning from a Professional Organizer

Amara says that if you’re not going to touch/use a ‘thing’ in the next two years, you should probably let it go.

Have you ever met someone who looks at an established system/rule, and then proceeds to point out all the reasons why they’re different, their circumstances are different, and why the expert’s rules won’t work in their special case.

When Amara gently stated the rule of two years, did you see me flinch a little bit? I fully expected my email inbox to be flooded with messages from these rule benders. And then, I realized that I was being a rule bender.

So, at the risk of being the thing that I hate, I’m going to share my interpretation of the two year rule.

If I sat down, and only worked on UFOs, could I finish them in two years? If the answer is yes, than I figure I’m good. If I sat down, and only worked from my stash, could I empty my stash in two years? If the answer is yes, I’m still good. If I sat down, and only worked from my scraps and my stash annex, could I clear my cache in two years? You get the idea… (If you need a refresher on a stash annex, see page 23 in ScrapStashtic Quilts.)

So… with my interpretation, I’m keeping a bit more than Amara is suggesting… but I still feel comfortable with the amount of ‘stuff’ in my space. In fact, my sewing room is my happy place in my house- even if I’m not going in there to sew!

Just be careful not to bend the rules too far- bending the rules puts you on the slippery slope of keeping your old habits!

Speaking of releasing old habits…

My family has a history of hanging on to things until you find a recipient who is worthy of the thing you no longer want.

Unfortunately, this is baggage that I have inherited, and owned for my entire adulthood.

So, the lesson that had the MOST impact for me was when Amara said, “You do not have to be the instrument that finds the next owner of your stuff.”

This phrase was so powerful that I spent the last two weeks purging the deep, dark corners of all of my closets. I donated over 20 years-worth of sewn garments- some of the things I constructed as a freshman in high school! I purged six boxes of UFO garments that I started… in college. But, with the power of Amara’s quote, it was finally ok for me to let go of the projects that no longer held my interest.

Knowing that you do not have to be the instrument that finds the next owner of your stuff, what are you ready to release?