“That which you cannot give away, you do not possess. It possesses you.” (Ivern Ball)

Clutter is:

• “Anything you do not need, use or love, and doesn’t love you back” (fellow organizers, tell me who said this and I would be happy to give credit!) 

• “Unmade decisions” (Barbara Hemphill).

Why is it hard to let go of clutter?  Especially when we know we Don’t Need / Use or Love it?  Because sometimes…

• Stuff signifies Unfulfilled Expectations, Unfinished Business, or Some Day. 
• We feel guilty parting with an item someone gave us or that represents something. 
• Stuff evokes strong emotions, even negative ones. 
• We forget the Law of Diminishing Returns.  We need some stuff to live, but there comes a tipping point when more stuff is too much, won’t help you and will actually make life more difficult. 
• Empty space makes us nervous.
• We lack faith in the generosity of God, our family, our communities or loved ones, and we cling to things for “Just In Case”.
• We forget the opportunity costs of clutter.  Choosing to fill a drawer or room with clutter means we cannot use that space for anything else.  Spending an hour fussing with our clutter – AGAIN – instead of clearing it once and for all keeps us from spending that hour some other way.

Why should we Let Go Of Clutter?

• Clutter gets in the way of living our life and being happy.  Clutter builds real or emotional walls and keep us from creating and sustaining healthy relationships.
• Clutter causes mental and emotional problems by contributing to unhappiness, feelings of isolation, anxiety, depression, insomnia, etc.
• Clutter causes actual harm in extreme and not-so-extreme cases, by harboring allergens, carcinogens, dust, mold and germs, and creating safety and mobility hazards. 
• Happiness comes from within, from choosing to be happy, from our relationships. Really happy people are satisfied and grateful for their lives and their relationships, regardless of the stuff they have and where they live.  Happiness does not come from stuff.
• The February, 2012 issue of Family Circle mentioned a recent study, reporting “Couples who say material possessions are unimportant to them are more satisfied with their relationships, according to a new study.  They find happiness in each other, not their belongings”. Click for info on the study author, Jason Carroll, PhD.)

So, now that we know what we know, what do we do about it? 

• Look at your Big Picture, appreciate the people your life and realize how blessed you really are.  Next time you feel like acquiring more stuff or getting lazy maintaining a clutter-free room or office, look at stuff more objectively and people more lovingly.
• Change really does come from within.  Act differently this moment, even if it just having more positive thoughts. 
• Build your Clutter Clearing Muscle.  Perhaps today you recognize why you have kept something that is clutter, and you let go of that piece of clutter instead of piling it up.  Letting go of clutter gets easier with practice.
• Exercise your memory muscles, too.  Use your memory intentionally and purposefully. 
  • Respect the memory of a person by celebrating and honoring the life, not clinging to stuff.  Letting go of clutter does not mean you are letting go of loved ones.
  • Keep a memory journal and photos, of course.  With just a few words or small tokens, you can remember what you want to remember, instead of keeping piles of clutter.
  • A recent Faithful Organizer devotion read “Jesus left his people with little more than memories.  Yet Jesus did give his people something tangible to remember him by: the Last Supper. This was a ritual of communion based on his words “Every time you eat this bread and drink this wine, remember me.” (Luke 22:19) He gave them a beautiful parting memory that they could touch and taste and feel.”  Remember this the next time you struggle with keeping stuff because you’re afraid of “losing the memory.”
  • Attach good memories to rituals and actions.  For example, I have tangible keepsakes from my grandparents, but actions hold stronger memories for me.  Every time I play euchre, make deviled eggs, smell Palmolive dish soap or eat paczkis on Paczki Day (Fat Tuesday), I remember fondly those who have gone before me.

Remember that life is not about the stuff, it’s about the People in your life. Take control of your clutter, and live a better life!