Many of us unknowingly have a ton of stuff lying around our homes which we could do without. In fact, in many cases we’d be better off without all of this clutter, as some of our possessions will never be of use to us nor do they hold any sentimental value, yet we insist on hanging on to them.
Old clothes, toys and damaged tech devices are just a few examples of things people often hold on to, even though they serve no purpose other than taking up space.
In this article, we’ll share five tips for uncluttering your home, but first, let’s take a look at why you should consider doing so.
Why is Clutter Bad?
There’s a very fine line between hoarding possessions and keeping stuff that’s actually useful (or at least stuff that holds significant sentimental value.) In some cases, people try to convince themselves that a particular item has sentimental value even if it doesn’t, as they are trying to rationalize their desire to keep useless possessions.
Clutter is bad for a number of reasons. Firstly, depending on how much of an issue it is, hoarding possessions can lead to health and safety risks in your home.
This is only likely to be the case in the most extreme cases, but there are other drawbacks of clutter, such as reduced space in your home. Additionally, holding on to possessions can often make you less open to buying new things which you would enjoy or find useful.
3 Tips to Reduce Clutter
Be Rational
When deciding whether or not you should keep something, try to be as rational as possible. Is it something that you’ll actually use or wear, or will it just sit there collecting dust? If it’s the latter, fight the urge to hold on to it and throw it away or donate it.
Being rational doesn’t mean you shouldn’t hold on to possessions which are dear to your heart and hold sentimental value, but you should be honest with yourself and only keep a damaged or rarely used possession if it really has sentimental value.
Adopt a Fix it or Bin it Policy
There’s nothing wrong with keeping something that’s damaged if you plan on fixing it, but indefinitely delaying repairs will lead to you accumulating more and more damaged items over time.
So, you should set yourself a deadline to get a device repaired. If you still haven’t done it by then, it can’t be that important, so you should throw it away.
Take Your Time
Decluttering can be quite stressful for some people – and while it’s important to not endlessly delay it, you don’t need to rush the process. Give yourself time to think it through and determine whether or not a possession is of use to you.
A Quick Summary
- Humans inherently want on to hold on to their possessions, even if they are no longer of use and don’t hold any sentimental value.
- This is especially true when it comes to expensive purchases, as we sometimes struggle to come to grips with this sunk cost.
- Decluttering your home is important, as it can make your property feel much more spacious and leave you more open to buying new things.
- When decluttering, it’s important to be as rational as possible and to give yourself enough time to think things through without feeling too pressurized.