Does it feel like, no matter how hard you try, you’re still drowning in clutter? You’re not alone!
What keeps us drowning in clutter?
In my last post I explained that a key reason we never seem to win the clutter battle is due to an imbalance in inflow and outflow. So long as INFLOW exceeds OUTFLOW, we’ll continue to drown in our excess stuff.
The only long-term solution is to limit inflow and boost outflow by releasing our excess. The more excess we get rid of, the less clutter we face.
But that means letting go of our stuff. Which can be really hard, especially if we’ve adopted unhelpful beliefs like those below.
This post focuses on three mindsets that cause us to hold onto stuff longer than we need to, along with the mindset shifts that will enable us to let go of clutter with confidence.
The “Just in Case I Might Need It” Mindset
Why this mindset keeps us drowning in clutter: It convinces us we ought to keep items we aren’t currently using on the off chance we might need them someday.
The skewed belief: We are putting our security in having the right possessions. Our society puts its trust in money and possessions rather than relying on God.
The mindset shift: When we don’t base our security on amassing enough (however we define “enough”), we free ourselves to adopt an attitude of gratitude and generosity instead of fear and scarcity. Then we can view donating items as blessing others rather than losing something we might need.
An example of this mindset shift:
As good stewards, we view each possession as an instrument of God’s blessing. Much of what we own is actively blessing our household, but that leaves plenty of stuff in our homes that could be a more effective blessing to someone else. Thus, we can find joy in giving things away.
In a similar vein, if we’ve been saving a few special family items so we can pass them on to the next generation someday, why not give them away now? Then we can be blessed by watching others enjoy those items while we’re still alive.
The Misplaced Value Mindset
Why this mindset keeps us drowning in clutter: We resist letting go of things we perceive as valuable. Thus, we keep things we don’t actually use or like, because they feel too valuable to toss or give away.
The skewed belief: An item’s value is determined by its price tag. The more expensive it was, the more valuable it must be.
The mindset shift: Redefine how you value your stuff. An object’s true value is not defined by its price tag, its star rating, or how much everyone on social media is raving about it.
Instead, value is about how much an object benefits you or your family. Is it useful? Does it bring you pleasure? Does it make your home beautiful or welcoming or cozy?
An example of applying this mindset shift
You bought an expensive dress for an event five years ago and haven’t worn it since because it’s not comfortable and it isn’t really your style. You keep it because you haven’t “gotten your money’s worth” out of it yet.
A better mindset would reconsider the value of the dress. if you don’t enjoy wearing it, it’s not a valuable piece of your wardrobe. Donate it to someone who will value its style and wear it more often.
The Fantasy Me Mindset
Why this mindset keeps us drowning in clutter: It tricks us into keeping stuff we aspire to use but never get around to using. Also, items that we pretend to like because our friends or society tells us we’re supposed to, but in reality, we don’t care for them.
The skewed beliefs: 1) That we should be the type of person who does this activity or enjoys this item. And 2) If we keep these things long enough, we’ll finally start using them or liking them.
The mindset shift: Be honest about the fantasy version of you (or your family) versus the real version.
Things that don’t fit with our personalities, values, and current stage-of-life constraints aren’t doing us any good. They just lurk in the back of the closet and mock us because we aren’t motivated enough to use them. Who needs that?
When we let go of false expectations and make peace with our limitations and imperfect-but-authentic personalities, we are free to get rid of the stuff that we bought for the ideal version of us, or the stuff that belonged to aspirations from a previous stage of life.
3 simple hacks to increase the OUTFLOW and quit drowning in clutter
- The one-in-one-out rule. When you bring home something new, select a similar object to donate. This works well with things like clothes, books, and jewelry. If you want to make even more OUTFLOW progress, try the one-in-two-out rule instead.
- The One-Shelf (or Bin) Rule. Limit how much space you can fill with a certain type of object. For example, designate one shelf in the closet to store fall décor. When the shelf is full, you can’t add any more décor until you make space by getting rid of something.
- Keep a Donate box. Make it easy to collect to-be-donated items. Designate a place to keep things you’ve decided to get rid of. When the box is full, run it to your local thrift store or homeless shelter.
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