I have to confess that whilst I was completing my coaching course, there were several weekends where I was away, and so unable to keep up with the housework. Consequently, my house has become more cluttered/untidy than usual. I love the Marie Kondo book, but for me, whilst getting started was easy, (I managed to declutter my wardrobe for example) my decluttering journey came to a standstill whilst I revised for exams, and completed the final tasks need to complete my course. So I’m writing this to remind myself why decluttering is important, not just for me, but for others. Here are my 5 reasons:
- Shame. Brené Brown describes shame as the fear of disconnection with others, and I have to say that’s how I feel when I look at my house. There’s a pile of ironing waiting to be done and things all over the place. It’s not a place that I can comfortably invite people into. By dealing with the clutter, I will no longer be ashamed of my house, and as a consequence, will be more comfortable having people round.
- Overwhelm. Never mind what else is going on in my life, looking at the state of my house leave me overwhelmed. It’s going to take time to sort out, and yet I’m so busy dealing with everyone else’s stuff, it sometimes feel like the straw that breaks this camel’s back. When you’re feeling overwhelmed, then for me, the only way out is by tackling things, one at a time. Make a list, prioritise the top three things that need to be done that day, and do the worst thing first. If you get three things done, then pat yourself on the back, but if you don’t, don’t beat yourself up. Things happen, and one step forward is still progress.
- It’s time to let stuff go. Over the years, I’ve been to one person that, when other people want to get rid of stuff, they could offload it to. However, these are not items that I can say, hand on heart, that I love. They’re just stuff and they have to go. I’ve also received presents that I’ve never used, for example, I don’t wear scarves, and it’s not something that I would buy myself, but somewhere along the line, I developed a collection of beautiful scarves that I’m just not going to wear. It’s not that I don’t appreciate the thought, it’s just that it’s not my personal style.
- There are things that we just no longer need or want. Using the Marie Kondo book, I’m focusing on keeping the things that I love or that is functional. The surprising thing is that there are so many things that I’ve fallen out of love with. That’s ok, but my process for decluttering means that these things are just stuff, and they have to go.
- I want a home, not a house. Your home should be your sanctuary, a place where you can relax and be yourself. However, when it’s full of stuff, that’s not really possible. To be able to move forward, I’m trying to visualise what I want my home to look like when it’s finished, room by room. My life coach also suggested that I think in terms of the colours, light, sounds and smells in each room. Personally, I love that idea and have bought some christmassy scented candles.
There are many reasons why it’s important to declutter. These are my reasons, but yours may be different. You may want to think of the negative energy that clutter brings, or the stress it causes you. Whatever your reason, I’m developing a new 31 Day declutter challenge that will start on the 1st January. Keep an eye out as I hope to get it set up next week.
Take care for now, and remember, you are resourceful, creative and whole.
Karen