Hoarding, minimalism and dealing with personal belongings

[belize44]

@beaker Exactly. That's why I get overwhelmed too. What looks like a box of papers to a healthy person is a huge waste of mental energy to me that is multiplied by the number of times I sort through it. When I got rid of my university papers all I could think was 'there is a stack of paper I never have to carry or waste hours deciding on again'.

That is what I found to be true, too - what you said about never having to carry or waste hours deciding on again. I only wish my husband would get on board with this. He has a bunch of stuff around from an old hobby that he will more than likely never do again, but he doesn't want to get rid of it. I can certainly understand that, but it is energy draining just to look at it lying there...

 

[SickOfSickness]

I agree, it is the brain fog too. Once I told my partner to get rid of these metal pieces, because I had no idea what they were. Three weeks later, I realized what they were and wanted them badly (so I didn't have to go buy more for $50). That time I was lucky, he had been too busy and put off donating them.

I even had a scanner that could do a whole stack of papers in a minute (borrowed), and I planned to get rid of boxes of papers. It was too hard for me. A healthy person could have done it in 1 or 2 days. I couldn't do 1/4 of it in two weeks, so I gave up. But something must be done. I can't move with boxes of old papers. What was hard is you still have to take the papers out of envelopes, remove staples, and sort them into major categories. It took much longer than I expected. I could have done it if the papers were already flat and ready to scan.

 

[GracieJ]

It has taken me years to get things scanned, as I have had the same issues. Part of it is sequencing, which loses me very quickly. Most of it is the emotional and mental overload of deciding what to keep, what order to put it in, how to organize it, etc. I work on it until I am frustrated, which sometimes might be a whole ten minutes. Other times it is longer. I do best when I plan only five minutes and be done till the next day.

Recently I went through a good pile and pulled half of it that would be quick to scan. It was nice to realize it previously took months to get that amount done, so cognitively I seem to be ahead for a minute. No idea why. Everything else tanked with autumn.

 

[Tammy]

I live as simplistic as I can............it's just easier for me and I've always liked it that way. I have never been big on a lot of knick knacks......my wardrobe is very minimal...........I have very few keepsakes. I have a total of two small boxes of files/paperwork. If I do occasionally see something that I like..........and I purchase it...........then something I already have gets donated.......so I never accumulate. I actually start feeling uncomfortable if things start to accumulate. One of my good friends is the opposite...........she feels uncomfortable in my place because she likes lots of things around her!