Feeling Overwhelmed by Your Stuff This Summer?
Clutter Is More Emotional Than It Looks
Summer tends to give us a little more breathing room - longer days, a slightly slower pace, and the kind of sunlight that makes dust bunnies impossible to ignore. Maybe you finally have time to tackle that guest room, or maybe you're just tired of opening the same overstuffed closet door and bracing for impact.
Whatever project you're eyeing, here’s something I’ve noticed: summer decluttering feels different.
There’s something about this time of year that nudges us toward a different kind of clarity. The pace slows down just enough for your brain to catch up with your surroundings. There’s literal breathing room - open windows, less layering, more daylight. That same lightness in the air has a way of making you crave a similar lightness in your home.
But often, when people start clearing things out in the summer, they’re surprised by what comes up. A simple drawer turns into an unexpected memory minefield. A bedroom closet becomes a reminder of how life doesn’t go the way you think it should sometimes... and perhaps some rather expensive bad decisions. This isn’t just a cleanup or simple decluttering - it’s handling both items and emotions... and it catches a lot of people off guard.
But It’s Just Organizing... Isn’t It?
One of the most common things I hear - and something I believed myself for years - is that organizing should be easy. It’s sorting. Folding. Maybe buying a couple of cute bins.
But here’s the truth: what I do isn’t really about organizing, at least not in the traditional sense.
I’m more of a decluttering specialist. About 80% of the time I spend with someone isn’t about organizing at all. Instead, it’s about figuring out what gets the privelege of staying in someone’s home - in their life. It’s decision-making. It’s untangling. It’s walking through the emotional weight of your stuff and deciding what still belongs in your life.
That part - the heavy lifting behind the scenes - is where the real transformation happens.
Because when your clutter is tied up in identity, grief, burnout, perfectionism, or just plain old exhaustion, it stops being about ability and starts being about capacity.
So if you're feeling overwhelmed by what should be a simple clean-out, let me be the first to tell you: it’s not because you’re doing it wrong. And it’s definitely not because you're lazy. You’re just dealing with the invisible weight that most people don’t talk about when they talk about decluttering.
Getting Started (When You’d Rather Do Anything Else)
Working with a professional organizer means following a clear system - one that’s been refined through a lot of real-life mess. When I work with clients, I guide them through that process step by step. But when you’re trying to do it alone, it can feel a little like standing in the middle of a maze with no idea which way to turn. That’s why starting is often the hardest part - because the path isn’t clear. So if you’re going solo, don’t worry about doing it perfectly. Just focus on taking that first step in the right direction.
If you’ve tried to begin and suddenly find yourself surrounded by overwhelming (and perhaps confusing) piles and half-finished thoughts, welcome - you’re in the thick of it. You’re decluttering. This is the part where a lot of people think they’ve failed, but in reality, it’s the exact point where things begin to shift. You’re already in motion. It might feel like chaos, but it’s progress. The real work doesn’t look pretty - it looks a bit like a mess, and it looks like you figuring it out, and that’s ok.
I like to start with clients by finding the easy stuff. Each person defines that differently. For some, easy stuff is simply trash – something broken, or maybe an empty pizza box. For others, it’s a pile of dirty laundry that needs to go to the laundry room. For others still, it’s that bag of clothes they’ve been meaning to donate for the last six months. Whatever feels like an easy decision for you, start there. Just pick up that one thing – and start. Just one.
Take the donatables out to your car and set a very clear day/time when you will take them to your local spot. Introduce those dirty clothes to the washing machine. You get the picture. Take the thing to the place. And guess what? You’ve started - and you’ve totally successed.
Then, if you want to keep going, pick one small, low-stakes category. Something like socks, reusable shopping bags, or expired pantry items. Anything where emotional attachment is low and momentum is easy to gain. The goal here isn’t perfection - it’s movement.
The Maybe Stuff
Do yourself a BIG favor and build a "Maybe" box (or designate a maybe area of the room). This is one of the simplest and most underrated tools I recommend. When people struggle with a keep-or-go decision, they often feel defeated or frustrated - and that’s usually where the whole process stalls out. A "Maybe" box gives you a temporary parking spot for the decisions that feel too sticky to deal with right away. It lets you keep moving forward while still honoring the reality that some choices need more time.
Think of it as a holding space - a spot for paused decisions that you'll come back to once you’ve exercised those awesome decision-making decluttering muscles a bit. The key is that it helps you keep going, rather than giving up. The key is that it helps you keep going, rather than giving up.
BUT - you gotta go back and deal with the things. These are paused decisions, not ones on hiatus forever.
Try Changing the Question: Ask, “What Do I Want to Keep?”
One of the simplest shifts you can make - and one I use often with clients - is to stop asking, “What should I get rid of?” and instead ask, “What do I want to keep?”
This change in mindset can take the pressure off immediately. Rather than standing in front of a closet feeling like you need to justify each item’s existence, you just pick out what you love, use, and need. The stuff that supports your life now - not your past, not your fantasy future.
Once you’ve chosen the things that are truly serving you, everything else is just… extra. And letting go of the leftovers becomes a whole lot easier. It’s not about discarding - it’s about curating. You’re choosing what stays, and in doing that, you’re defining the kind of home and life you actually want.
So if the letting go feels hard, try starting with the keeping instead.
It sounds simple, but that shift in thinking can completely change how you approach decluttering. When you start by pulling out only the things you truly use, love, and want to carry forward with you, the rest often becomes a lot easier to let go of. It’s not a matter of fighting to discard - it’s simply curating the life you want.
This approach can also be far less overwhelming. Instead of battling decision fatigue over every object, you’re choosing to keep what matters most. And the leftovers? They become obvious. They’re no longer aligned with your current season of life, and they don’t need to stay just because they’ve been around awhile.
So if you’re stuck, flip the question. Focus on keeping the good - and trust that the rest will catch up to that decision in time.
The Sentimental Stuff
Just. Save. This. Stuff. For. Last.
Seriously.
This is really tough stuff, and it usually comes along with the biggest suitcase full of emotions. So wait until you’ve experienced a bunch of success with other things and have really strengthened those decluttering muscles.
And when you do begin working your way though items of sentimental value, give yourself permission to go slower. The process of releasing them isn’t just about decluttering - it’s about processing. It’s okay to take breaks, to ask for support, or to stop and come back later. This is where having someone gently guide you - whether in person or virtually - can make a huge difference. You don’t have to carry it all alone or figure it all out at once.
If You’re Sitting in the Middle of It
If you’re in the middle of your own summer decluttering - or even just thinking about it - I want you to know: you can totally do this. I promise.
Life is full of seasons. Some are meant for gathering, and some are meant for letting go.
If this is your season to release, you don’t have to do it alone.
A lot of people think they should be able to handle this by themselves. After all, it’s just organizing, right? But when there’s a deeper layer to the clutter, it’s not about skill. It’s about support.
It’s about having someone who can help you hold the weight of all those decisions - what to keep, what to release, what still feels like you, and what doesn’t.
That’s why I offer virtual organizing and coaching sessions. Because not everyone needs someone physically in their space, and not everyone lives nearby - but everyone could use someone in their corner. Someone who can help them stay grounded, focused, and out of the emotional weeds.
This is not about turning your house into a magazine spread. It’s about feeling less overwhelmed when you walk in the door. It’s about making room for the life you actually want to live - right now.
Hit me up and let’s talk. I’d love to hear from you!
Hey there! I’m Kerry, and I’m a professional home organizer in the Northwest, specifically the Portland, Oregon / Vancouver, Washington area. I also travel up to the Mat-Su Valley region of Alaska (Anchorage, Palmer, Wasilla) a few times a year - going everywhere clearing clutter from people’s homes. I’ll meet you where you're at, zero judgment (and will bring along a sense of humor).
We can declutter, organize, and create spaces that support the life you want to live!
If you’d like, you can learn a bit more about me here.
Want to schedule a no judgment, complimentary consultation? I’d love the opportunity to meet you, hear your story, and learn how I can help.
