"Experts" like to point out the "churning" - people picking through their possessions, with no progress or resolution, with the end result that things end up reshuffled, but no better off in any way.
The "experts" claim that this is due to some or all of the core triad of talking points ( emotional attachment, difficulty discarding, difficulty making decisions ).
Yet, I don't think so - as usual, this is more likely Something Else.
I have myself experienced churning, I know the effect, I know the feeling.
But, being as good at introspecting as I am, I know it for what it is.
It is simply a process failure - attempt to.. do something.. without a clear process, and under conflicting imperatives and constraints.
Here are the likely expectations when approaching the object -
* Keep / Discard ?
* Where to put, if keeping ?
* Do I have time to dispatch it properly ?
* I'm not sure about this particular type of item, where it belongs / what needs to be done with it / its status.
* I don't have a proper destination for this in my organization system ( if there is even a system ), and there is no more space, and there are no more empty containers available or where to put them.
* I don't feel like discarding this, I know I would like more closure than that
* I don't have enough proper time and energy to properly introspect on this
* etc.
"Experts" would like to say "just discard this, you don't need this.".
I say, this is a crude oversimplification down to a very primitive utilitarian model.
I say, the much healthier way is properly resolving it with the introspection and the closure, whatever the conclusion is - what I call "processing" - by asking the questions -
* What is it ? ( This may seem like a stupid question, but spelling it out may add much needed clarity )
* What do I intend to do with it ? ( This is the million dollar question - also, note how discarding doesn't enter into the equation yet )
* What are all the things that need to be done with it according to the above ?
* Where does it go immediately ?
Give or take.
And absent this opportunity, keeping it, even in a makeshift organizing system, is a better option.
Just need to make sure the organization is completed, and it eventually gets the above "5 minutes of fame".
And getting hung up on a thousand difficult decisions or sacrifices isn't a good way to ensure the organization is completed.