Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Contingencies
“What if?” Two words that spell disaster to an organizer. I was just packing for a trip and I kept hearing those words in my head: “What if it rains? What if it’s cold? What if we go out to dinner?” Of course, smart packing will cover the likely possibilities: You don’t want to have to buy an overpriced sweater at a resort, or ruin a day of sightseeing because you’re wet. But when does good planning tip over into paranoia?
My clients are always coming up with creative visions of the future: I only stream music, but shouldn’t I keep the CDs in case the Internet implodes? What if Laura Ashley dresses come back into style? If I grow my hair out, I’ll wish I had those hair ties! What if I change jobs and have to start wearing suits again? What if I have a sit-down dinner for 40?
What if you do?
It seems to me that allotting valuable space to things you are keeping because of some vague possible future is silly. Prairie dresses are back, but I don’t see anyone my age actually rocking the ones they wore in 1983. You can buy new hair ties and you’ll want up-to-date suits. If you actually throw dinner for 40, you can rent everything you need. And if the Internet breaks, you’ll probably have bigger problems than how to play music.
Holding onto things is an effort at control, but it doesn’t help. It just makes your home more cluttered and you more stressed. “What if” is just anxiety in disguise. You don’t know the future, and beyond taking an umbrella and having some savings, there isn’t that much you can do to get ready for it. I say: Inhale, exhale, enjoy today. Surround yourself with the things you use and love now and let the rest go.
You can’t plan for everything, but you can keep things simple and be in the moment—and that’s an excellent position in which to confront any contingency.