TSH Writes About...
Clutter
Clutter Anxiety
Deciding to take back the decision-making process about what will fill your allocated space and how you will use that space is the first step getting organized requires.
Here’s an important caution: getting organized is not usually a one and done thing. Without understanding why we hold onto so many things and why they are so hard to let go of them. We know that clutter can cause us to be anxious and overwhelmed and that a cluttered environment can keep us from feeling at peace in our homes: unfocused and unproductive. Disorganization can make even the easiest tasks feel overwhelming. This is “clutter anxiety”.
Of course, clutter anxiety doesn’t apply to everyone who has organizational issues.
Many people live quite happily with disorganization and a little chaos. And also, this is not to say that an untidy home is the cause of anxiety, not at all. But it may be just a symptom of an underlying condition.
Certainly, achieving a tidy home will not “cure” clutter anxiety, but it may help reduce the out-of-control feeling that many of us experience when faced with managing in our homes. Our minds can manage only so much clutter, but there is a benefit to getting a handle on all of your stuff.
Even if your clutter may not seem that extreme, it still wears on your spirit. There are an estimated 14 million Americans who have compulsive hoarding tendencies, but many millions more spend time everyday just navigating their stuff just so they can do the things they need to do.
What stands in our way? Why can’t we just back up a dumpster and unload all the things that are causing us stress?
“Both history and psychology tell us that there is an almost primal sense of security in possessions. The knowledge of ownership and connection of an object to another person can be deeply soothing to anxieties and create a feeling of security.
‘Being in an environment full of your stuff – if it‘s organized – can be peaceful, relaxed and comforting,‘ says Dr Krauss Whitbourne.
‘But as soon as it verges into hoarding or getting to that point, it has the opposite effect and reminds you that you can‘t make up your mind and get rid of things and holds you back in the past.‘“
Getting organized is not easy. It’s not fun. There is no good reason to do it unless staying disorganized for the rest of your life, and passing that mess on to your kids and family, is a future that is more bleak than doing the hard work of getting organized now. Need help getting started? Schedule a Complementary Serenity Call!
