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As I’ve said before:
“Clutter is a weight that has built on top of you so gradually, you don’t even realize anymore that it is holding you down. It is harmed relationships, depression, and anxiety. It is giving power to our stuff, sometimes our really nice stuff, to control our lives.”
Recently I was asked by a reader how you’re supposed to get in the mood to declutter, or in other words, how to get in the mindset to actually get rid of stuff. I’ve decided to talk more about the weight of clutter, and how I personally picture clutter holding us down.
This is such an important topic that I dedicated an entire section of my eBook, Decluttering is for Everyone, to getting mentally prepared to let go of our clutter. But it is so important, that I didn’t just do a section of the book, I also did a live video in our Facebook group about my Clutter-String Theory.
The Clutter-String Theory
We are responsible for everything in our homes in some way, whether we admit it to ourselves or not. Every single thing in our homes requires valuable space to store, and time to dust and maintain it. When we fail to recognize this, we are left with unmanageable messes and too much stuff. When we think “oh, what’s one more thing, this little ___ isn’t causing too much trouble.” But when you add all the “one more little things” together, you’re surrounded by clutter.
When I think of our clutter, I picture an invisible string connecting us to every single thing we own. More strings means more stress. We’re more likely to get overwhelmed with managing so many strings. And the strings hold us down, and can even tie us up in knots.
Every single time we let something go, we snip a string. Just the start of it, the willingness to look at stuff differently starts the shift to feeling better. Decluttering cuts the strings and lightens your load.
Start now: Cut those invisible strings and set yourself free!
I hope that this visual will help you think about your extra stuff more accurately and declutter more than ever this year.
From my home to yours,
Mary
Jill says
Mary, I love this example! I am determined to declutter more than ever.I cant wait to join the challenge once again. I hope you and your family had a lovely Christmas.
Mary says
We really did! Christmas was amazing. So glad you’ll be joining us again!
Louise says
Ok! I’ve downloaded the book and joined the group. Ordering my planner now. I need so much help! Slightly overwhelmed, but I know it doesn’t happen over night! One step at a time. I’m excited!
Mary says
So glad you’re joining us! And you’re right, one step at a time … you are doing everything right to be ready!