The Maybe Box: Decluttering for the Chronically Indecisive

Picture this:

👚 You’re going through your closet. You know you SHOULD get rid of that shirt, it’s not like  you’ve worn it in months (or years?). But there’s a devil on your shoulder whispering “You’ll regret it if you get rid of it.” You sigh and place it back in your closet. 

🛏️You’re going through your linen closet. You have tons of towels, you could probably get rid of a few. But what if you just happen to have 8 relatives over and they all need to shower at the same time?? You keep all the towels “just in case." 

Decluttering is scary business, especially if you’re an indecisive person! But here comes the wishy washy-er’s (I can use that as an adjective right?) solution: The Maybe Box. It’s a simple, and much less intimidating solution to decluttering. 

How it works: 

📦 Grab a box, you pick the size. 

📦 Go through your home, or just 1 room and grab everything that you think you should get rid of. 

📦 Close up the box and put it out of sight. 

📦 Let a month (or more) go by, then reevaluate the contents and make a decision. 

*The key*: Don’t let your box overflow. Consider this the step before a final decision - keep or toss. If the box is getting full, it’s time to make some decisions. 

Why it works: 

1. Out of sight out of mind. If you completely forgot about it after you boxed it up, it’s probably safe to donate. If you had to pull something out to use it, that’s probably something you can keep. 
2. Break the emotional connection. We tend to attach memories and feelings to pretty much everything we own. This can get in the way of making a decision when we’re decluttering. By getting the item out of sight, we can make a practical decision instead of an emotional one.. 
3. Scare the “just in case’s” away. You may hold onto something because you’re thinking of a rare occasion where you would need the item. Getting the item out of sight helps you refocus on all that you still have and come up with alternative solutions for those rare “just in case” situations. Once you have a different game plan, you will feel freer to get rid of those seldom-used items. 

Next time you’re feeling indecisive while decluttering, let yourself release the stress of making an immediate decision. Place it in your maybe box and move on. Happy Decluttering!📦