My Biggest Challenge Is…

Recently, whilst helping a client to sort through piles of sentimental items, I made a whopping confession: I have clutter too.

As a professional declutterer, I suspect I’m not supposed to admit this - I’m meant to be setting an example of decluttered perfection to you all - and I immediately regretted saying anything. But I’ve thought about it a lot and in hindsight I think it’s important to show vulnerability and to be able to empathise with my clients. I’m human, I certainly don’t sit in judgement, and I know that it is significantly easier to convince someone else to relinquish items than it is to convince yourself.

My weaknesses are handwritten cards and letters, my late husband’s paperwork and unused (but really pretty) notebooks. I know why all of those are difficult challenges for me, and in time I will deal with them. For now, they cause me no shame, but maybe if they’re still not dealt with next year, one of my clients might like to give me a nudge!

What have you found hardest to let go of and why?