Letting go of things feels less like cleaning and more like making a risky decision. With OCPD, I can come up with a reason to keep almost anything, even if I haven’t used it in years. A half-used notebook might be needed for some future project, and an old appliance feels wasteful to throw out because it still technically works.
I remember standing over a box of clothes, trying to decide what could be donated. I kept checking each item for stains, damage, or some possible use, and after an hour the box was still sitting there untouched. The clutter makes me anxious, but getting rid of things makes me anxious too.
How do other people decide when something is no longer worth keeping?
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The “it still technically works” thought gets me too. I’ve kept clothes that didn’t fit because I kept imagining a future situation where I might need them.
What helps me is setting one simple rule before I start, like donating anything I haven’t used in a year and wouldn’t choose to buy again. I try not to inspect each item for every possible use, because that just gives the anxiety more chances to argue.
Cathy, the part about checking every item for stains, damage, or a possible use really hit home. I can get stuck trying to prove that something has no value at all, which is basically impossible.
I’ve had better luck asking whether I’d choose to bring the item home today, rather than whether it might be useful someday. If the answer is no, I put it in a donation bag without doing a second inspection. The anxiety usually shows up afterward, but it fades faster when I don’t go back and reopen the decision.
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That “would I bring this home today?” question is such a practical way to cut through all the imaginary future scenarios. I’ve started using a similar test with kitchen gadgets, since “it still works” can otherwise keep them around forever.
Not doing a second inspection sounds especially helpful. I tend to reopen decisions when the anxiety spikes, which only makes me doubt myself more. Leaving the bag by the door and moving on, even while feeling uncomfortable, seems like a good way to teach myself that the feeling doesn’t require another review.