Dealing with the stress/anxiety of decluttering. Any Tips?

[flashbac]

I can't be the only one who gets super stressed and anxious when it comes to decluttering?

I recheck bags before they go to the charity shop and feel horrid when they go in case I've put something important in them by mistake. I mourn for the money I wasted on unused stuff. I feel bad for the stuff that has to go to landfill. I'm basically besieged by 'stuff'. I need to downsize which means I have to declutter otherwise I probably wouldn't bother.

Marie kondo is a bit too woo for me.

Any tips?

I can certainly relate to feeling besieged by stuff. So I focus on the pleasure of clearing stuff out, and feel relief when I drop a bag off at the charity shop or drop off a load at the tip.

I would focus on one small area at a time as I can't bear making mess to sort through things, so am not an advocate of emptying out your wardrobe (for example) and working through it that way. Yesterday, I set myself the task of clearing out the small cupboard where I keep wrapping paper and ribbon. Things have been getting added to the pile for years, and at the bottom was a load of stuff that I didn't especially like and wasn't especially useful. So, it's cleared and organised, leaving only what is useful. (Not what might be useful.) I keep opening the door and looking at it, just to admire. There's pleasure to be taken in a good clear-out.

I just don't feel the pleasure though. Every drop off to the charity shop or tip is beset by "but what if I need it?"

If you could replace it for £20 or less, is it worth hanging on to?

@Adirondack

If you could replace it for £20 or less, is it worth hanging on to?

I think so! (I grew up poor.)

Flashback
What I have read is that you should think of everything in your home ‘paying rent’, and therefore consider whether it’s earning its keep. So if you have an object, it should either be paying its way in terms of use, or you should get rid of it and enjoy the value of the space it occupied instead.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/4198486-The-Hoarders-Anonymous-5

check out this friendly thread. there's plenty of us who will be feeling similar to you.