Many of us want to eliminate clutter, but never seem to get around to it or if we do, the job is never completely done.
We know that getting rid of that clutter will make it easier to find the items we do need. That translates to lives with less anxiety in them, because we all know that that item we need always must be found in a ridiculously short period of time.
We won’t even go to the collection of allergens and dust that collect in that clutter.
We just find the item (or not) postpone it once more, berating ourselves on how it got to this stage, and promising to get to it soon, secretly knowing we never will; and why? The number one reason: Because we might just need it someday.
Whether we grew up in an environment where money was tight, or have fears about the future, the majority of things we save will never be used again.
Some of our possessions can be intertwined with sentimental values or events in our past, and for our own reasons find it psychologically difficult to discard them. Sports memorabilia and awards are reminders of past accomplishments. Other objects are part of family history and we feel obliged to keep them in trust, even if we are the only one who thinks so.
What to do? We could buy a bigger house but it may be more effective to keep the same house and reduce the volume of its contents.
Try to keep a replacement rule. Buying something new can be paired with letting something similar go. Honestly, this is an easy to say, hard to do rule. However, if we see our clothing piling up, it might be a good idea to donate some of the older ones.
Many of us have “sentimental” items linked to our past that have been stored untouched in attic or basement. Perhaps they are part of the family history but not something we want displayed in our home. And perhaps they are not as important as we think.
So what to do? Perhaps someone else in the family will store the items or if no one wants them, perhaps they can be sold and the proceeds shared by the family.
Many of us are storing items that are sentimental to other family members and perhaps friends. We who are parents know those other family members are many times our children, who go off and live their lives and leave their “sentimental” possessions in our garage or their old bedrooms.
Do relatives and family members treat your home like a storage facility? Politely ask them to come and claim them by a certain date, otherwise the items will be sold or trashed. This is a tough line, but we have a right not to be taken advantage of.
Another tough line to face is that we are the clutterers and taking advantage of our spouses and/or fellow residents of our home. Involve them in friendly discussions of what your and their vision of what your living space should be.
Lastly, face the time it will take to de-clutter and reorganize your space. Enlist the help of other family members. Divide big jobs into manageable tasks. Separate these jobs into bags for charity and bags of trash.
Decrease the stress in your home along with the clutter. Eliminate panic cleanups when guests are due.
Live a vital life.
