06/29/2026
What did I mean yesterday when I referred to an item's "release path"?
I just made this up... So bear with me.
Example:
"That's part of a set, I'll donate it when I find the other three" Release path: find the rest of the set and donate.
"I need to ask my husband if he still wants that" Release path: get yes or no from husband.
"I need to see how many of those I have and decide what I want to keep" Release path: gather everything of that category and make decision.
"These are my favorite shoes but they're broken, I'd like to fix them" Release path: Decide if I can fix them or not. See if I can find the same pair.
Often times my work can be simplifying a release path for my clients or taking the time with them or putting the physical work in to get the job done to release that item. Making a labelled 'missing pieces' boxes, making a labelled 'ask the husband box', staging entire categories on my fold up tables so my client can see everything at once. Or literally hanging the new curtains on the rod so they can donate the other ones.
If we can't recognize release paths, we can really get us stuck in the mud with organizing. Stuff can get pushed around in a grey area never resolved enough to leave.
I will ask my clients questions to expose release paths: "tell me what you're thinking with this item?" This gives me data on what needs to happen next. Sometimes I will challenge the answer, "are you still wanting to do that?/Does that still feel fun?/is this feeling important to do?" and then we will move that item a little closer to it's next step.
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