Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
How Much is Enough?
I hope you’ve been working on taking inventory and assessing the cluttered or problematic areas of your home.
One of the issues that often comes up when I work with people is How much is enough? Of course, there isn’t one right answer. It depends on what you’re talking about (cloth napkins, oregano, toothpaste) as much as your lifestyle.
The goal is to have everything you need, but not so much excess that it’s hard to access what you need.
Sometimes people realize they have an inordinate amount of something, be it cinnamon or stationery, and once they have it together in one place it’s easier to focus on working their way through that stock and avoid future repeat purchases.
It may get feel a little uncomfortable at first, like when you ask yourself if you really need 15 pairs of red heels. The goal isn’t necessarily to get you down to one pair; maybe you can let go of one or two pairs. But tomorrow, and next week, and next month, maybe you’ll be able to keep walking past that tempting stretch with the two shoe stores with the great sales, because you’ve taken inventory and you know that the last thing you need is another pair of red heels.
On the other hand, I’ve helped people go through socks and underwear drawers where it looked like there was way too much, but once they weeded, there wasn’t enough to get through a week. Even a minimalist needs a week’s worth of socks and underwear.
What surprised you when you started inventorying your possessions?
Share your process, and remember, it’s your inventory.