Why Do We Have Clutter And What We Can Do About It

Are you overwhelmed with the clutter in your home and don’t know where to start?  Are you wondering how you got to this stage in the first place?  Are you looking for simple solutions to deal with the chaos?

If you answer yes to any of these questions, then you’ve come to the right place. 

Why We Don’t Want Clutter

 Clutter, whether it is physical or emotional, causes negative emotions. A cluttered room often makes you feel:

• Overstimulated, which can lead to anxiety in today’s already stressful world
• Visually distracted or lacking focus
• The physical clutter around you is causing chaos in your mind
• Tired and unmotivated
• Stuck in the past
• Confused and lost
• Depressed
• Disorganized
• The lack of the cozy, relaxing feeling that you are longing for
• Ashamed of your home

There are many possible factors when it comes to the accumulation of stuff, but to know what to do with clutter, we need to understand why we have clutter in the first place.

Where Does The Clutter Come From and What Are The Simple Strategies To Conquer The Clutter?

Ever wonder how you got to this stage where the piles of clothes, the boxes and messes are never ending?  What really caused the clutter to start emerging? 

As a trained professional organizer, I have heard many, many, many reasons.  Here are some of the most common ones and some solutions to conquer the clutter.

Life changing event

Perhaps there was an illness or a death in the family and you spent more time taking care of the family member and their belongings, than spending time tidying up your own home.  Other events such as a new baby, a job relocation, a separation or a divorce can also cause clutter to accumulate.

Solution:  It took time for the stuff to accumulate, so it will also take some time for you to declutter it.  Set a schedule and keep at it.

Delayed decisions

“I am just going to put it here for now.  I will deal with it later.”  The problem is that “later” has yet to happen, so the pile keeps getting higher and higher. 

Solution: “Don’t put it down, put it away.”  This is the perfect quote from Peter Walsh.  If you spend a few seconds to put it away now, you will end up saving a lot more time down the road.

Consumerism and over-purchase

The most common example is women and their shoes.  There are lots of purchases but hardly any editing or decluttering.  As a result, their shoe closets are out of control and they run out of room.   Shoes that they would have loved to wear can no longer be found in the mountain of footwear. 

Other examples would be buying the latest kitchen gadget just because everyone is talking about it, but eventually the hype dies down that item ends up sitting on the kitchen counter collecting dust.

Solution:  Set a 1-in-1-out approach, or even better, a 1-in-more-than-1-out approach. Not only will you have room for your new purchase, but it will also allow you to review and edit what you already have and only keep what you love and want.

“I can’t find it”

I recently helped a senior with her downsizing project.  She told me she kept losing things around the house, so when she couldn’t find things, she would go out and buy more of the same.  Guess what?  I couldn’t believe when I found 16 pairs of scissors! Did I tell you she lives by herself?  No one needs 16 pairs of scissors!

Solution:  A place for everything and everything in its place. If you always put an item back where its “home” is, you will never have to look for it all over the house.

“I don’t have time” and “I am too tired”

I totally get it.  You’ve worked a long day, you shuffle the kids to their extra-curricular activities, rush to get dinner ready and you are tired by the time your day is over. You have no time to worry about the junk that’s gathering in the corner of the family room or the stuff that’s accumulated over the years in the basement.

Solution:  Slice the project into smaller, manageable pieces.  Do the most difficult task at the optimal time and delegate whenever possible. 

“I don’t know where to start”

You have been living in your home for quite a few years.  Things started accumulating for a while now to the point you have no idea where to start or how to start tackling this huge mess.

Solution: Set SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.  You can find more information here:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SMART_criteria

Just In Case

“I might need it one day!”  If I had $1 each time I heard a client says this, I would have enough to go on a very nice vacation in Europe just about now.

Solution:  Imagine why you started your decluttering and organizing journey.  Picture that image of your home, of what it would look like.  Does that include all the just in case items?  Instead of focusing on what you have to get rid of, why not focus on what your end goal is? 

It Costs A Lot Of Money

You spent a lot of money on this item.  It has been your pride and joy.

Solution:  The item is now clutter in your home and causing you stress.  On top of the physical space, think about your mental well-being too.  Is it really worth keeping the item? I hate to remind you that what the item is worth today is based on today’s current market value, not when you purchased it. 

“I Will Fix It And Use It Again

How long has this item be sitting there?  That’s the amount of time you could have gotten it fixed. 

Solution:  Are you really going to get it fixed and use it?  Please be honest with yourself.

Sentimental value (Or It Was A Gift)

This may be the toughest for my clients as letting go of the item comes with guilt.  They feel that if they let go of their grandmother’s china, then they are being disrespectful, and they won’t remember their loved ones anymore.

Solution:  Find one or two sentimental items that truly speak to you and let the rest go.  Find the real treasure, something that brings you lots of wonderful memories.  Display these one or two items so you honour your loved ones, and not leave them in a box that is left untouched for years.

So, what is causing the clutter in your home?  Are you ready to tackle this project?  If you need any help, contact me.

“It is when you start clearing out clutter that you realize how much better you feel without it.”

~ Karen Kingston