Inspired by the NY Times essay by Emily Falk
In her New York Times opinion piece, neuroscientist Emily Falk explores the psychology and brain mechanics behind why people struggle so intensely to let go of physical possessions. She highlights how objects become psychologically intertwined with our personal identities and memories, triggering feelings of loss or anxiety when we attempt to discard them. Her essay bridges neuroscience and everyday organization, explaining that understanding how our brains process value and ownership can make decluttering much less painful.
Do you overvalue what you own, making it hard to let things go? Here are 5 techniques to loosen your bonds:
Ask “Would I buy this today?”: Instead of asking whether you want to keep an item you already own (which triggers loss aversion), reframe the question to focus on its current value and utility in your life right now.
Take a photograph first: Research shows that snapping a picture of a meaningful or sentimental object before donating or discarding it preserves the memory while satisfying the brain’s need to hold on, significantly boosting willingness to let go.
Shift your perspective: Think about how an outsider or someone with different priorities might view the item. This helps decouple an object’s sentimental weight from its practical usefulness.
Start with low-stakes categories: Build decision-making confidence by tackling easy, unambiguous clutter—such as expired products or duplicate items—before moving on to heavy emotional territory like heirlooms or photos.
Bring in social support: Working alongside a supportive friend or family member or a professional organizer (!) helps lower the psychological friction of the task, keeping you motivated and preventing decision fatigue.
As professional organizers, these are strategies that we use frequently with our clients and find them pretty effective. The article is a good reminder of the science behind why they can be so useful for clients who struggle with letting go.
