There is a moment in every organizing journey when you finally turn toward the space you've been avoiding. You know the one; the closet that won't close, the craft bins that are bulging, the holiday décor you haven't sorted in years, or the overflowing wardrobe. These spaces aren't just cluttered, they hold postponed decisions, unfinished stories, and items you've been meaning to deal with "someday." Week 9 is about making someday a date on your calendar. Giving that "day" a planned structured.

The Perfectly Planned PURGE isn't a chaotic empty the room event. It's a thoughtful, strategic process designed to help you face a long avoided space without overwhelm. Before diving into the whole area, you'll choose a clear, measurable goal; reducing by a percentage, filling a certain number of bags, or releasing anything older than a specific number of days/months/years. This goal doesn't need to be completed in one week. It simply needs to be set, started, and supported by a plan that allows you to continue the work over time. Big goals become manageable when they're broken into small, repeatable steps.

One of the biggest challenges in these avoided spaces is emotional clutter. You'll likely encounter items tied to guilt ("I spent money on this"), identity ("I used to be the kind of person who wore this"), aspiration ("One day I'll use this"), or fear ("What if I need it again?"). These emotions are normal. They're also the reason procrastination has been protecting this space for so long. The goal this week isn't to eliminate emotion, it's to make decisions and move through the project. When you define a boundary, your brain relaxes, and the decisions become easier.

Another pain point is volume. These spaces often contain far more than you realized, and the sheer amount can feel intimidating. That's when the "shoebox principle" becomes very valuable. If you need to, start with the smallest possible boundary – fill one shoebox.

Then set your next goal – sort, one shelf, one bin, one drawer, one category. When you shrink the starting point, your nervous system shifts from avoidance to action. And once you complete that first micro zone, momentum builds naturally. You begin to trust yourself again, and the space starts to feel less like a mountain and more like a series of small, doable steps.

As an example, my Perfectly Planned Purge was to purge 50% of my wardrobe – I set the goal, determine a completion date goal, and broke my wardrobe down into 18 areas.

Goal – Reduce Wardrobe 50%

Completion Goal Date – September 1, 2026

1. Dresser 1 – Highboy

1. Dresser 2

1. Shoes & Boots top shelf

1. Shoes & boots second shelf

1. Shoes & boots lower shelf

1. Sandal & Sneaker Shelves

1. Handbags

1. Sweaters

1. Top hanging rod

1. Lower hanging rod

1. Dress hanging rod

1. Guest room closet hanging rod

1. Clothing folded on top shelf

1. Clothing folded on second shelf

1. Jewelry Box

1. Jewelry rack left

1. Jewelry rack right

1. Entry closet - jackets

The Perfectly Planned PURGE is ultimately about alignment. You're not trying to create a perfect space, you're trying to create a functional system. You're choosing what deserves to stay in your life today, not what made sense five or ten years ago. You're releasing the weight of postponed decisions and making room for ease, clarity, and confidence. This week isn't about finishing; it's about beginning with intention and continuing with follow-through.

If you're clearing out something that you think a family member or friend might want – you need to ask them about it NOW, before you begin the process. Set a plan, if your daughter wants the blankets you're sorting through, bag them up put her name on them and be clear with her when she needs to pick them up or that you'll deliver them on a certain date. CLEAR IS KIND!!! Not just to the people you are sharing with, but it's a way to be kind to yourself and remove all the other emotions that might pop up. Be aware of resentment and anger, disappointment, - any of these emotions might get attached to the sharing process.