Why Are You Keeping All The Clutter?

You know what the real problem is with getting organized?

We have too much stuff!

I'm willing to bet there are a few things around your home that you keep without having a good enough reason why.

So why DO we keep so much stuff?

The thing is, it's easier to find excuses for why you should keep something and delay making a decision rather than making a firm (and sometimes difficult) choice to say goodbye to your "stuff."

five excuses for why we keep things:

1. "I might need it someday."

Yes, you might. But the thing is most of the items we keep can easily be found or replaced within a day or two. Lots of men (my dad included) keep every screw and nail created and store it away like a squirrel with his nuts.

But what happens is these little tiny items create more and more clutter and it gets to a point where you can't find that little screw anyway because it's like finding a needle in a haystack.

2. "I'm going to lose some weight and start wearing this again."

I hope if you have a goal to lose some weight, you do everything in your power to make it happen. And when you do, I give you permission to go out and find a sale and buy some brand new clothes. You should be proud and it's the perfect time to reward yourself.

But for now, donate or sell anything you don’t wear on a regular basis.

3. "So-and-So Gave Me This."

I'm all for keeping memories and items that remind us of people we love. But the truth is, the memories are not in the clutter. The memories are not in the knick-knacks and "stuff" you have shoved in a box.

I won't say get rid of everything, that’s not always an easy decision. But try and just keep the special things you cherish. And get them out in the open, on display - where you can enjoy them and have a story to tell when someone comments or asks a question about the item.

4. I paid good money for this..."thing!"

I'm sure you did. But the thing is, what has more value...this "item" you no longer have any use for or the way you enjoy your home?

The item...or your happiness? The item... or your space?

5. Oh, I'm just trying to figure out what to do with it...

Okay, so maybe it's not worth holding onto. If it takes that much mental work to figure out what to do with something, you can take a pretty good guess that it may not be worth as much to you as you think.

If you can't figure out what to do with something...it's a safe bet you won't miss it too much. There is a lot more value in enjoying your home, your friends and your family than the "stuff" you paid for.

A Creative Solution

I’ve used all of these excuses in the past and I have to admit that still do. But you can’t keep everything … or can you?

I may have found a creative solution that not only allows me to physically get rid of the item but I am still able to look at it whenever I want.

When I sold my home last summer, I had to get rid of a lot of things that I would no longer have room for. So I started taking photos of the items before getting rid of them. Now, I can look at these things whenever I want and re-live whatever memory is attached to them.

My plan is to create a memory journal with these photos and document the stories of why I love those things and what made me save them for as long as I did.

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