If you want to start on the path to being clutter-free, you need to understand why you have clutter. Analyzing the reasons behind the clutter is the key to getting rid of the clutter.
Does you house look like this? Do you leave stuff everywhere? Does it never get cleaned up? Do you ever wonder why? There’s actually a mindset behind clutter. The first step in reducing your clutter is analyzing that mindset.
Fear Is The Primary Reason Behind Clutter
If you want to kill your clutter, you need to discover what you fear. Something is either keeping you from reducing your clutter or it keeps you adding to the clutter. Here are the most common reasons for clutter:
- The fear of change: Clutter is a outward expression of wanting things to remain the same. People grow comfortable in their cluttered surroundings. To clear those surroundings represents change. Change is scary because it means giving up an element of control.
- The fear of loss: How many things do you keep because you think you might need them someday? You haven’t used something for years, but you still hold onto it. What if you can’t afford another one? What if someday you lose your job and run out of money? The fear of losing what we already have can keep us clinging even tighter to things we don’t need.
- The guilt of letting go: This is a big one. We often hold onto things because they were given to us by a family member or a friend. We can’t part with things we perceive as valuable based on an emotional connection. This guilt keeps gnawing at us whenever we try to let things go.
Helpful Articles For Analyzing Reasons Behind Clutter
Now that we’ve studied the mindset behind clutter, it’s time to ask yourself some hard questions:
- Why do I keep or buy things I don’t need? Be honest. Is it one of the fears I mentioned, or perhaps it’s something else? By pinpointing the reason behind your behavior, you can begin to change that behavior.
- What is stopping me from letting things go? Don’t just scratch the surface here. Go deep. Are you afraid to give away things that were given to you? Is it about the money you’ve spent of the items? If it’s not being used, it’s really of no value to you.
- How can I begin to change my mindset? Try writing down a few ways you can begin to think differently. Often, the best way to change a mindset, is not to change it at all, but to replace it with something different.
Take Action: Learn More About Minimalism
I encourage you to learn more about minimalism through reading. It’s always good to learn about something before doing it. Here are a few blogs you might find helpful:
You’ll also find many Hip Diggs’ articles about getting rid of clutter. Please click the all-posts to learn more:
