You have permission

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I recently started working with a client who’s lived in her current house for 30 years and is considering downsizing in the next year or two. For the most part, she’s been really decisive about what she wants to keep and what she wants to donate. However, occasionally she’ll say to me, “A friend gave this to me, but I never really liked it. Do you think it’s okay if I donate this?”

In each case, she just wants support in knowing it’s okay to give an item away that she didn’t like even if it was from a friend or a loved one. I’ll remind her that we’re creating space for the items she loves and uses.

I see this so frequently, so I remind my clients that a gift is just that - a gift. The gift is now theirs to do with as they wish. If they don’t like the gift, they are under no obligation to keep it. I suggest they give themselves permission to let it go. But I also let them know the decision is theirs, not mine.

It’s okay to let stuff go. And as you do, you’ll begin to feel lighter and freer. Your space will begin to open up, and you’ll start to shift from overwhelmed to overjoyed. You’ll have less stuff to deal with and more time to focus on the things you want to focus on.