Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Stickiness
Sometimes purchases are what I call “sticky,” they’re like brambles, catching on everything. You go to buy one thing, and you walk out with the whole kit-and-kaboodle. Maybe you get a guitar—and the amp and the guitar stand and the soft and hard cases. Maybe you need a new dress, and before you know it you have a new pair of shoes, a necklace and a shrug. (This is one reason I’m so rigid about my color palette. I never need new accessories to match new clothes, because everything coordinates with what I already own.)
On the other hand, stickiness can work for you when you are getting rid of stuff. The decision to toss a couple fishing rods in the corner of the closet suddenly expands to include the bulky, dusty tackle-box, the ancient waders and dried out Orvis hat filling a back shelf. Suddenly you have space to work with and you feel like you just won the lottery.
You should definitely look for these opportunities when you are working with kids: “So, if you don’t play with Play-Doh any more, does that mean I can get rid of the Play-Doh kitchen?” or “Since we are giving away the Barbies, can we give the Deluxe Stylin’ Head too?” When they say, “Yes, I never play with that anymore!” it’s “Hallelujah and pass that big, black, hefty bag.”
I’m not saying you shouldn’t get these things. If you want to buy a snowboard, you will need the right boots, and absolutely a helmet. But at the same time, beware of the things that are sticky. When you stay mindful of stickiness, you might opt for the dress that doesn’t require you to buy the Spanx, or the new sheets that work with the duvet you already own. Look for those sticky opportunities when you are trying to declutter, too: Sometimes the willingness to let go of one item can lead to the clearing of a whole shelf. And in the organizing biz, that is victory.