Why We Accumulate Clutter

According to Randy O. Frost, a professor of psychology at Smith College, people hold on to objects for three basic reasons:

Sentiment: Some of you might think that throwing away something might mean you are throwing away a part of your life and erasing a memory. The item is a reminder of a happy place or of a person they remember fondly.

Utility: Some of you might think that a certain something will come in handy someday. You might also think that it is wasteful to get rid of something that is "perfectly good". Frost says that there is fear of waste and that each person's idea of waste is different and can be complicated by a number of psychological factors.

Aesthetics: Although your belongings are in an "organized" display or put away and folded into a tidy box or drawer, it is still clutter. Frost points out that accumulating things we think are "beautiful" without that accompanying organizational ability or desire can merely create clutter.

Our belongings become the person that we want to become, or the person we dream to become. If you don't do something with the dreams in your saved belongings then you might miss out on something.

In my opinion this is the most powerful thing that Frost has to say. You might have to read it twice!

"Most people understand that they have to choose. They give up opportunities to take advantage of others (opportunities). Those who obsessively accumulate stuff - that is, potential 'opportunities' - can't really take advantage of any of them."

WHAT???

So, you are asking, "what do I do now"? According to author Stephanie Bennett Vogt Your Spacious Self: Clear the Clutter and Discover Who You Are, She says the practice of releasing stuff can help us release other attachments that negatively affect us, like the stories we tell ourselves that don't serve our goals!!

I LOVE THAT!!!

Here's more, "as we get rid of what isn't serving us, we reveal what might".

How can we make this easy on ourselves?

Declutter slowly and steadily. We are so personally invested in our possessions. Sudden change is scary, or so we think. Besides doing the decluttering we also need to work on our thoughts.

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Your mind is the key to everything. As I help you physically clear your clutter I will work on your thoughts around the clutter and this of course, takes time.

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As Always,

Keep it Sweet and Neat,

Stephanie