I come from a family of sentimentalists. My childhood drawings from 20 years ago still line the walls of my dad's 'mancave', and my mom is still holding onto baby shoes I barely wore. It is a family habit that has been passed on to me.
However, as I get older, the things that are most important to me have shifted, and the old sentimental 'clutter' weighs me down more than it ties me to the past. Yet it is still so tricky to clear out, often filling me with guilt when I think about getting rid of these things.
With Cobwebbing Decluttering, however, you'll 'blow away the cobwebs' to free up physical and emotional space and streamline without stress. It's the fresh decluttering method I needed to create some breathing room ahead of the holidays.
What is the Cobwebbing Decluttering Method?
Decluttering sentimental items will never not be difficult. They are sentimental for a reason, after all.
Rather than simply labeling something as 'sentimental' and putting it in a protected anti-declutter pile, the cobwebbing decluttering method asks you to focus on the emotional strings that tie you to that object.
Much like the one-emotion decluttering method, if that string feels more like a shackle, you cut the tie and 'blow away the cobwebs'.
Usually, when decluttering a house room by room, I am very conscious every time I come across a 'sentimental' item that I am holding onto it only because it has been designated as special. When I put them back on shelves or in cabinets, the overwhelming feeling is that of guilt – that I should really know by now that they are sentimental items that are just taking up space.
Reframing these ties as 'cobwebs' that I would, in any other circumstance, target with some good cleaning tips, however, has completely changed how I see getting rid of nostalgic pieces, and even helped me to declutter items my fantasy self holds onto.
This is an incredibly important step for anyone, regardless of whether you want to form organizing habits for a more minimalist home or are simply trying to free up some space in a hectic household.
Suzanne Roynon, a consultant interiors therapist and Feng Shui practitioner, explains that it is this seemingly meaningful clutter that makes it harder to keep a clutter-free home and incredibly difficult to move forward. 'It can be a vicious circle,' she warns, 'because unresolved clutter attracts more clutter.'
That is why Suzanne recommends these forms of 'interior therapy', explaining that it is 'a very different approach to clutter,' that helps to identify the emotional impact of items to reveal whether it is helpful or unsupportive to its owner.
'By using these methods,' she assures, 'it is much easier, and gentler, to release anything which no longer serves or brings happiness, and is just cluttering up the space.'
I Tried It
So, with a big birthday coming up and the holidays just around the corner, I thought it was the perfect time to pair this cobwebbing decluttering method with my ski-slope organizing method and work my way around my home with my trust folding laundry basket from Wayfair, leaving no corner untouched – just as I would when hunting and cleaning away spider webs with my Swiffer duster from Walmart.
Many of those items I would usually put back, such as dusty piles of tickets and guides from recent vacations on my office shelving, and even an old, unused vase my partner bought me with some flowers when we first started dating, went into the basket for decluttering.
I was clearing the cobwebs for a refreshed home that no longer felt stale, and I have never felt so guilt-free. I found the emotional reframing so useful and it helped me lose the shackles that had been previously binding me to my sentimental clutter, and it was easier than ever to say thank you and goodbye to items that had held meaning but no longer served me.
Verdict: 10/10 for ease and effectiveness. I would definitely recommend trying the cobwebbing method to my friends and family, especially those who struggle with chore procrastination or who struggle to focus when decluttering.
What to Shop
This bestselling book packs so much information into a mere 200 pages, in a readable and digestible format that's accessible to all readers of all ages.
Measuring 8x10x11 inches, these handwoven water hyacinth baskets are ideal for drop zones, shelves, and cabinets.
Vacuum storage bags are ideal for seasonal storage, keeping clothes and household linens safe from pests and moisture, without them taking up valuable storage real estate.
Trash bags are one of my favorite decluttering tools, making gathering up clutter and removing it form my home quick and easy.
Just because it is tucked beneath your bed doesn't mean that under-bed storage has to be plain or ugly. These beautiful woven storage baskets mean that even if you can see them from beneath your comforter, they add to your decor, rather than detracting.
Important documents, spare keys, and cables all need a central home to make home management simple. This all-in-one vault provides space for all of your essentials and tucks neatly onto a shelf without contributing to clutter.
Meet the Experts
Not quite ready to commit to clearing out nostalgic pieces yet? Why not try gently letting go of sentimental items with discharge decluttering instead, or streamline in broader, more flowing strokes with the Sunday Butterfly method?
