Use a Maybe Box to Declutter and Avoid Stress
Many decluttering tips encourage you to make split-second decisions about what stays and what goes, and expect you to put a lot of things into that “goes” category. Of course, there’s a good reason to try to do this quickly: the less time you spend wondering about the fate of something, the less time you have to get sentimental or worry about that unlikely event you’ll need in the future . However, some things really are a mystery and you need to spend extra time thinking about what to do with them. This is where your “maybe box” comes in handy.
What is a “box maybe”?
While all existing methods of organization and decluttering have their own protocols, they have something in common: You sort your items into three piles—keep, donate, throw away—and sometimes a fourth that sells. Typically you do this with boxes of some sort to make things easier and immediately clear out the space you’re working on.
Next time, add another box: Adding a “maybe keep” box gives you the opportunity to place a few items in a sort of purgatory while you ponder their fate, but it also clears up the space you’re working on and doesn’t get in the way you continue to work on putting things in order.
How to Use the Maybe Box
When you’re decluttering, you should always work in small sections, focusing on a shelf, drawer, or specific area in the room to avoid becoming overwhelmed. In this process, you place items in their respective boxes, usually deciding whether to keep them, throw them away, or donate them. However, when you pick up something that you end up thinking about, it greatly slows down your thinking about it, its potential future use, and its personal meaning to you. Instead, throw it in a “Maybe” box that you will return to later so you can focus and continue to work on the space in front of you.
Set a period of time (such as a month) during which you will not open the box or even acknowledge it. Only open the box if you really need a specific item at that time (which will be proof that the item was actually needed and should not be thrown away). After this period, go back to the box and review everything in it, asking yourself if you need it, miss it, or have completely forgotten about it. Anything you forget can be gotten rid of, and you can do it with more confidence by proving to yourself that you don’t really need it or that you don’t care about it at all. As long as they have dedicated storage space , you can store anything you’ve been missing sorely.
Doing a little experiment like this will help combat the hesitation and guilt associated with getting rid of certain things, but it will also temporarily clear the space you’re working on of clutter so you don’t sacrifice immediate results while you think about it. everyone out. Just try to choose a box that’s opaque so you can’t see the items inside—being reminded of their existence will confuse you a little. Instead, find something you can’t see that you can hide somewhere out of the way.