Yes, there is such a thing as having too much stuff. There have been multiple studies that show clutter is linked to stress.
We are blessed in our society to have all the necessary resources to survive…but a repercussion of having more than we need is…
…we have too much unnecessary stuff.
Do yourself a favor and get rid of all the junk and unnecessary possessions that do not add any value to your life. There are items that you own that harbor negative emotions, toxic to your space and your emotional well-being.
Here are some steps to take to declutter your life.
Clean One Area At A Time
The first step to decluttering is to clean out your living space. Like really… a deep clean of your living space. It may feel very daunting and onerous to clear out all the junk in your living quarters but here is a simple hack to get it done…
Instead of trying to go through your entire apartment or house at once, just pick one area i.e. a single box, shelf, drawer, closet, etc. and clean the area. Give the area a thorough cleaning/wipedown, toss out items that add no value, relocate some items, and keep some items there.
Oftentimes, when you try to clean a whole house, you will miss some areas or sections. However, when you keep the focus on one area at a time, you shouldn’t miss any spots.
When you are going through your stuff– if you find yourself thinking that you may use the item in the future and it has been sitting there untouched…
Throw it away.
No. You don’t need it. No. It isn’t worth selling. Stop. It’s garbage.
After you clean out all the excess stuff, we recommend you hire a house cleaning service to maintain your living quarters. There is no point in decluttering if in a week or two the excess stuff you got rid of is replaced with new junk.
Be Selective On What You Let Into Your Life
Now that you have cleared some items out of your life, it is crucial to really be selective on what you allow into your life.
Think long and hard on the value the item will produce to your day-to-day life. Hopefully, you will come to the realization that really, you do not need much to live your life and all this superfluous stuff is detrimental to your health.
Being selective on what you let into your life will help you avoid getting into the vicious cycle of maintaining/reorganizing things you never use. Break the vicious cycle of “organizing” and “decluttering,” just to amass more stuff by being selective on what you let back into your life.
We suggest you check out /r/minimalism for more tips on decluttering. That community gives plenty of tips on tossing out junk from your drawers and from your life.
Cleaning Up Your Life
Decluttering is not just about throwing things out. Decluttering is more about creating an environment that promotes happiness, productivity, and peace of mind in your life. In the end, your happiness and peace of mind are all that really matters.
Really take some time to invest in your own happiness by putting the stuff you do keep into some sort of sensible (and maybe even attractive) order, tossing out the unnecessary, and then maintaining the cleanliness.