How to Keep the “Let It Go” Momentum Going
When you're decluttering your whole home, there’s one sneaky little hiccup that can slow your progress: actually getting the stuff out of the house.
It sounds simple, right? You’ve done the hard work of sorting. You’ve got a donation pile, a returns pile, and maybe a bag of things labeled “take to my cousin.” But then life happens… and all those bags and boxes just sit there.
Suddenly, the return window closes, the library books are overdue, and your hard-earned progress starts to feel stuck. It’s frustrating when you’ve worked so hard to create space and order.
As a professional organizer, one of my favorite ways to support full-service organizing clients is by taking care of those outgoing items for them. Just last week, I spent an afternoon doing donation drop-offs, handling a few consignment pieces, returning some items to stores, stopping by the library—and even delivering something sentimental to a niece.
It’s a small touch that makes a big impact. Why? Because letting go is hard enough. It helps to have someone take care of the follow-through.
But even if you’re not working with a home organizing professional, you can still stay on track with a few simple habits:
📅 Set a Drop-Off Day
Choose a consistent day to handle your outgoing items. Maybe that’s every Friday, the first Saturday of the month, or the same day you do your weekly reset. Make it a part of your organizing routine.
⏱ Give Yourself a 24-Hour Rule
Try this mindset: “Once I’ve decided I’m letting this go, it goes into the car. Within 24 hours, it gets dropped off.”
This helps prevent the decision clutter from turning into physical clutter again.
🔁 Treat It Like Any Other Recurring Task
Just like laundry day or grocery day, give this its own label—maybe “Let-It-Go Day.” Adding it to your household maintenance cycle keeps it stress-free and manageable.
👨👩👧👦 Delegate the Errand
If someone else in the household is heading out, ask if they can swing by the donation center or drop off that bag of gently used items. You don’t have to do it all alone!
What matters most is this: those outgoing items don’t become a new kind of clutter. They’ve already served their purpose, and now it’s time for them to move on.
You’ve done the brave and emotional work of letting go. Getting those items out the door? That’s just the final step—and you’ve got this. 💪
If you need expert organizing help, don't hesitate to reach out. Visit pinkyjackson.com to schedule a free assessment. We would love to help you with our Onsite Organizing services if you are in the Louisville, KY area or our Virtual Organizing services if you are more remote or prefer to work online.
Pinky Jackson is an Organizing Expert and Decluttering Specialist. She and her team organize homes & small businesses in Louisville, KY. For more information about Pinky’s pricing & services or to schedule your free assessment, go to pinkyjackson.com
Photo: Mats Hagwall @hagwall
