Too Much Stuff? Here’s How to Take Control of Your Clutter

Do You Own Too Much? How to Recognize and Break Cluttering Habits

Anyone can become overwhelmed by clutter, which can transform once-organized areas into intimidating mounds of useless stuff. What began as a modest collection of rocks and hotel soaps for lifelong collector Eve Schaub gradually expanded into massive piles of clutter, transforming an entire room into a storage area she could hardly access. She committed to decluttering, starting with just 15 minutes a day, since she was determined to regain her space.

Schaub remarked, "I have always been fascinated by things, and I am very sentimental and attached to things." However, when you have an empty space, it turns into a "put it in there" area, which is quite risky for someone like myself who is a "stuff person."

It's time to take charge if you can identify with Schaub. To learn about common clutter patterns and how to break them, we consulted with psychologists and professional organizers who work with people on the television show Hoarders.

Purchasing Pile-Up Unneeded Items

Shopping is easier than ever in the modern world, and accumulating too much goods is simple. Credit cards, online shopping, and sales make it simple to purchase unnecessary items.

"The next town over has a great consignment shop, and it can be really dangerous," Schaub remarked. "There's only one here, and it's really reasonably priced," I'll think. I must then ask myself, though, "Do I truly need this? "Where will it go?"

Geralin Thomas, an organizing expert from Metropolitan Organizing, suggests a 30-day shopping fast to avoid making pointless purchases.

"Take a look around your home and consider clutter," she advised. "Agree that nothing more will enter the house." No purchasing or shopping for anything other than groceries for a whole month.

Continuing to "Go Green"

Decluttering is something that many individuals dread since they don't want to add to the rubbish. Rather, people keep things in the hopes of using them again in the future.

"When you're a do-it-yourself type of person, you see potential in everything," Schaub remarked. "But I concentrate on donating to people who will actually use them rather than letting unused items pile up."

Dr. Robin Zasio, a psychologist and author of The Hoarder in You, advises creating a systematic plan before removing items from the house.

"Every Friday after work, recycle or drop off donations," she advised. "Have a plan to get rid of clutter, not just move it around."

One of the main obstacles to decluttering is frequently procrastination. Zasio suggests asking yourself: How can I make my environment represent my ideals and what do I want my life to look like?

Too many things have sentimental value attached to them.

Decluttering might be challenging if you have sentimental attachments. In her attic, Schaub recently discovered her grandmother's ancient blender. She gave it as a prop to a nearby theatrical group rather than retaining it.

She said, "I use my rational side of the brain and talk myself off the ledge." "It helps to remind myself of my goal."

Thomas advises customers to change their perspective:

She stated, "Losing something does not imply that you are disrespecting the individual who gave it to you." "There is nothing special if everything is special."

Zasio suggests establishing boundaries to assist manage sentimental clutter, such retaining only one or two storage boxes of mementos.

She claimed that most people don't look through their photo albums and mementos as frequently as they would like to. "Take a picture of something if it doesn't fit in the box."

Getting Rid of the Letting Go Fear

Decluttering involves more than just getting rid of stuff; it also involves altering your perspective on belongings. Schaub had to get over her fear of choosing incorrectly what to preserve and what to discard.

"My decision-making muscle in my brain had atrophied," she claimed. I resisted making a decision because I was afraid of making a poor one. I allowed myself the opportunity to make mistakes.

Her persistence paid off. A once-cluttered spare room was transformed into a useful area.

"The room underwent a wonderful transformation," she remarked. "I couldn't find my kids when I got home. Then my little girl said, "We're in the art room!"

"Suddenly, the objects were out of control and the room had a true purpose."

Take Charge of Your Area

You're not alone if your house is overrun with clutter. You may take back your space by recognizing the tendencies that lead to clutter and making tiny, deliberate changes. Additionally, StorCo Storage Wood River provides safe, practical storage options to keep you organized if you require additional space while decluttering.