"When it comes to clutter, my parents were a case of opposites attract. My dad had a shorthand saying: "ABC." It meant "always be clearing." My mother, on the other hand, loved beautiful things and collected them without much rhyme, reason, or organization. I always followed my dad's footsteps more closely. Although I hold a doctorate and have a career in academia, I started a professional organizing company 17 years ago. Today, A Clear Path has 17 employees."
"Last year, my mother's partner died. She had few financial assets, and he had owned the house, which meant she needed to leave quickly. That would be complicated for anyone, but especially for a woman who has acquired many items through her nine decades on earth, from furniture and artifacts to art and books. Suddenly, she had to decide what to take from her 1,600-square-foot home to a one-bedroom apartment. Choosing what to get rid of in a rush was anxiety-producing."
An organizing professional built a 17-person business helping people declutter, downsize, pack, and move. The organizer's parents had opposite approaches to possessions: a father who practiced "ABC" (always be clearing) and a mother who collected beautiful items without organization. After the mother's partner died, she needed to move quickly from a 1,600-square-foot house to a one-bedroom apartment, creating high anxiety about what to keep. The organizer decisively removed items she knew her mother would not need, spending about five hours clearing belongings such as gardening equipment. The move involved grief but ultimately freed mental space for the 89-year-old.
Read at Business Insider
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