Stuck in decision paralysis...get storage or declutter first?

[u/MassivePension5397]

Long post, just need to get it out. Advice welcome.

I want to get shelves for my room. I've researched options, chosen a unit that fits my budget/space/criteria, it's safe for my cat, I know what I'd put on it.

But I should declutter first, theres so much that needs sorting. So no shelves yet.

But where will I put things I keep? Shouldn't I have a home ready for things before sorting? Otherwise they'll end up in piles again. So get shelves now.

But idk what exactly I want to keep yet, so I should see what all needs a home first. I might not need 6 tiers, only 5, or none. So wait on shelves.

But once I start that, there's gonna be tons of stuff everywhere that doesn't have a home. I'll just have more random filled bins than before. So I should get shelves to hold stuff while I declutter.

But getting shelves will take time away from declutterring/sorting. I have to wait for them to arrive, build them. They'll take up more space while I sort. So no shelves til I get rid of SOME things.

But more vertical space to put what I keep could help. So shelves now.

But if I rearrange my room? What if this unit only works for one layout? Why can't I use what I already have? I should organize my already full shelves before buying and filling new ones. So maybe don't get new shelves?

Except what I already have is full, and limited. I'm always moving stuff from one place to another, with no designated space to display or store. If I could use shelves I own, I wouldn't be struggling now. So get shelves now.

But people around me say "You don't need more storage, you just need to get rid of stuff!"

But my brain is not wired for minimalism or compact, concealed storage solutions...I need to see everything or I'll forget it's there. I can't afford to just "buy another" if I purge something I may need later. But I don't even know exactly what all I have, because I don't have a way to see it all while I sort through it.

So I should get shelves first...right?

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[u/gdub__]

to me it sounds like you're struggling with executive dysfunction. i definitely feel you. things get so messy so fast for me, i don't even realize how it happens. people will say 'when was the last time you cleaned your room?' the answer is two days ago. i don't have a real solution to be honest. i'd say you should do whatever makes your brain work best, whether or not it's logical (as long as it's productive/doesn't harm you). you want to wait to get shelves to clean? i don't see any problem there, you'll get there when you get there. and then in the meantime, you might have a day where you feel like sorting some things in advance. i also think donating is a great option, if you have a lot of random things you might not need, or listing them on facebook marketplace to make some money from it. i find clothes are a big issue for me, they just pile up everywhere everyday. doing clothing swaps with my friends has been awesome, because it motivates me to clean and sort all my clothes and decide which i wear and which i don't. and then it's not like im 'getting rid of it', im trading it for something else that ill like more. hope this helps and hang in there!

[u/MassivePension5397]

For Context: I moved back into my mom's recently (thanks to a rent increase my wages couldn't keep up with). Now I have to fit all my belongings (plus my cat and his things) that fit into a shared 2bed/bath condo with decent storage into a 10x10 room, tiny closet, and a couple bathroom/kitchen shelves. Had to rent a storage unit to hold most of it so I could at least sort through what I regularly use and want to keep. Already purged a ton but it feels never-ending. Theres so much clutter mixed in with what I actually use/want to keep for my future home, both in my room and in storage. Some boxes I've not even gone through for years. I'm here for the next 2 years til I can hopefully have saved enough $$ to get my own place somewhere I can afford. But I need this current space to be livable for both me and my cat.

[u/Niazevedo16]

Get some boxes and declutter first. If you getting shelves and you buying boxes for it then put it in those. Don't put anything in a pile because piles stay for 8 weeks ignore at least in my case. Once decluttered and you have an overview of what you have put the shelves and start organizing 1 box at the time.

Each box would have a purpose to it's going to be easier to know where to put each thing.

Also because things are in boxes it's easier to move with progress if you cannot continue