When I was researching for my post on subscription boxes, I came across a few Reddit users who said that decluttering is a bad idea because it prevented them from seeing how much they were spending on their subscription box habits. Because my life’s work is helping people declutter, I couldn’t imagine how someone could think that decluttering is a bad idea!
I did a bit of thinking about that. Experts agree that clutter can cause problems in your life. It can promote procrastination and increase stress levels. But just because clutter can cause problems doesn’t mean that decluttering is a universal cure-all.
Decluttering is a bad idea when…
There is no stop to incoming items. The Reddit user mentioned above didn’t declutter to simplify their life. They decluttered to make room for more stuff. Be intentional in what you bring in, and it will reduce the clutter.
You are emotional. Grief, anger, sadness, and even happiness, can interfere with good decision-making. We might be angry with a family member and toss out every gift they gave us (probably an unwise decision). Or grief could prevent us from making any decisions at all! The best thing is to recognize that we experience emotions when decluttering. Have a neutral third party available (such as a professional organizer) to help make logical decisions – or at least decisions that aren’t knee-jerk reactions.
It’s trendy. We’ve all heard about minimalism – everything you own must fit into one suitcase; you have to live in a tiny house on wheels; you can’t own a car. It goes on and on. But a life without stuff doesn’t allow us to help others. We might only use a chainsaw once a year, but if we have room to store it, why not? We can lend it to a family member, friend, or neighbour if they need one. Don’t declutter just because it’s the “in thing” to do.
There is no plan. If there is no decluttering plan, you might end up shuffling items from one room to the next and back again. You would never get organized. Likewise, you can’t just toss everything in a dumpster – as easy as that would seem. Charitable agencies accept quality household goods. You can recycle broken or damaged items. Do the environment a favour and make a plan for things you no longer want.
You have no control during the process. This powerful quote, “‘You’ll feel liberated – and it helps to have a friend [declutter] with you,’ she promised. But I didn’t realize just how traumatic it could be…” is from an article where the author describes “the terrible mixture of shame, guilt and embarrassment” they feel as their friend coerced them into making decluttering decisions. As professional organizers, we always consult with our clients. They have the final say about what stays and what goes. Moreover, we do not judge.
Decluttering can be great when you do it for the right reasons, especially if you have the Out of Chaos team to support you. Contact us today.
