Is the Clutter in Your Home High Cost… and Low Joy?

Is the Clutter in Your Home High Cost… and Low Joy?

I think it’s fair to say that most people in the United States have clutter. Though some folks embrace a minimalist lifestyle, most of us have papers and tchotchkes and other paraphernalia that accumulate in our homes and offices.

And it’s not necessarily a bad thing! Some of these treasures bring us great joy. How can you tell the difference between “good” clutter and “bad” clutter? What matters is how the things that surround you make you feel. When you look around your home or office,

• do you feel a sense of ease and joy?
• do the objects in your space remind you of times that make you smile?
• do you feel relaxed or energized?

If so, that’s terrific!

On the other hand, you might feel restless or claustrophobic when you spend time in your space. You might see,

• piles of papers you’re avoiding
• unopened mail you’re putting off
• mementos that recall painful times in your life
• art or decor that you don’t find appealing.

When your things make you uncomfortable like this, it’s an important signal from your body and mind. It suggests that your space is not supporting your energy as well as it could. It’s a mindful practice to listen to these intuitive signals that come from within you. When they happen, it can be time to call a professional.

What a professional home organizer sees in your clutter

Since 2005, we have supported hundreds of wonderful clients. Each client’s situation is unique, and the energetic ties they have to their things are different. But one of the gifts an organizer brings to the situation is noticing and pointing out patterns. And one common pattern is:

The high financial cost of clutter

Sometimes this high cost is financial. If you’ve spent a lot of money whether on furniture, technology, or decor, it’s hard to let it go even if you don’t like the purchase very much! This has to do with the cultural value we associate with money. You might think, “it was expensive, so I should like it and I should get a lot of use out of it.” In an ideal world you would, but life doesn’t always work that way! Sometimes our tastes change, and what we thought we wanted doesn’t end up being a good fit.

When this happens, be mindful of the signals in your body. Do you cringe when you see the expensive purchase? Do you feel frustrated when you use the technology? If yes, it’s important to be compassionate with yourself. Everyone makes purchases they later regret!

Here are a few I made:

1. I purchased these large stacking baskets at the Container Store with the idea of using them to collect my recycling. They were cheaper than the large blue bins and I liked the white color. I won’t go into all of the reasons they didn’t work, but they just didn’t.
2. This one really, really stuck in my craw! In preparation for our move to Colorado, I needed portable file boxes in which to transport my paper files. Having faith in the Sterlite brand, I purchased a four pack of file boxes. I absolutely hate this product!  They take up more space than other file boxes which hold a similar quantity of files, the blue latches fall off without provocation and they quickly broke at the hinge where the top attaches. Aaargh!!! I often choose to repurpose items that don’t meet their initial purpose, but these are going straight to a donation location.

Beating yourself up because you bought something you don’t love or didn’t work as you planned doesn’t help you feel better. Instead, you could remind yourself: “it’s okay that I spent money and changed my mind. I have now learned more about what I like and don’t like.” Trust us, everyone does this. You are in good company. Send items that don’t work in your life to new homes so someone can enjoy them and you can be free of the constant reminder of your unfortunate choice.

The high emotional cost of clutter 

A lot of times, the high cost of an object is emotional. This can be harder to figure out than a high price tag! The truth is, a lot of the objects in our lives come in without our intention: how many unwanted gifts, hand-me-downs, heirlooms, and other inherited objects are in your space?

The energetic ties to these items are often complicated. Especially when it comes to family heirlooms and gifts, you might feel a sense of obligation to keep the item because it came from someone you love. This isn’t wrong or bad, but it’s important to notice how the object makes YOU feel. In some cases, it might make you feel good to keep the item, but in other cases, you may realize the item doesn’t fit in your life or bring you joy. Perhaps the best way to be a good steward of the object is to pass it on to someone who will cherish or use it.

Remember This! Just because you don’t love the item doesn’t mean you don’t love the person you received it from or appreciate the gesture!

There is no need to feel guilty when you realize you don’t love something that was given to you. Be compassionate with yourself. At the end of the day, it can help to remind yourself that your life is for you. If your surroundings don’t support your energy and greatest good, then it is healthy and self-caring to change them.

For more on inherited stuff, read our article Your Stuff, Their Stuff, Our Stuff – it was featured on New Dream!

What to do with unwanted clutter?

When you realize that you have items that are high cost and low joy, you may feel a surge of energy to let them go. It’s exciting to notice that it feels good to release the things that don’t serve you! Even if some items are high cost, whether financially or emotionally, choosing to let them go is saying “yes” to your ideal life – not your grandmother’s, not your best friend’s, not your children’s.

We’re happy to help our clients by recommending charity pickups and other donation resources. We can also help you brainstorm creative ways to let go of objects you don’t want. It is nice to feel good about where your unloved items go, but the key is that you free up your energy by letting them go as quickly as possible.

Imagine your home or office containing only things that make you feel good. That’s the goal!

Do you have high cost, low joy objects in your space? What are they? Share in the comments!

Discover more ways to mindfully declutter your home or office here! >>