Comments on: What causes clutter in your life?

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:23:02 +0000

Don’t underestimate the impact of physical illness and injury on clutter until you’ve tried to take out the trash on crutches in the snow!

By: WaterLearner

WaterLearner — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 03:38:16 +0000

Hi!

Good and useful writeup. To be honest, I commit almost all of them. I believe that external clutter is a manifestation of internal clutter. I especially agree with issues like emotional avoidance and mental exhaustion. In such cases, being so burdened internally, there would definitely be no energy left for tidying up any exterior so to speak.

By: Erika

Erika — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 18:59:38 +0000

Jude, I hear you; I helped my aunt sort through her parent’s things and much of it was valuable antiques. We spent an intensive summer dealing with it, but it has taken years to get it truly under control. The up side is, I now have many lovely items that I use every day which remind me of them.

One item I would add to the list, and I’m not meaning to be rude, is not having a life. We live in a very consumer culture in which shopping is frequently referred to as “the national sport” or “the national past-time”. We don’t need things, but in order to amuse ourselves or socialize, we shop. We need to realize that, eventually, owning one more pair of super cute shoes is going to be more of a burden than a joy (and I speak as the guilty in that category).

By: M

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 04:13:23 +0000

I know what causes clutter in my house - my two little helping hands (aged 6 and 9).

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 16:16:24 +0000

Some of these issues would cause me to declutter instead. For instance, emotional avoidance would cause me to toss my sentimental items in the trash so that I’m not reminded of something socially tragic.

And as far as psychological issues, I’m very claustrophobic and it makes me a little obsessed with making sure there is enough space in a room. I can’t stand shit strung everywhere, taking up space. Makes it feel very uncomfortable. So another advantage to decluttering.

By: Jude

Jude — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 14:32:41 +0000

Everyone died or moved and left all their stuff here. Some of it is quite valuable (or interesting) and it’s taking me years to get through it. I don’t see that one on the list.

By: Dr. Ragan, www.psychologyofclutter.com

Dr. Ragan, www.psychologyofclutter.com — Mon, 04 Jun 2007 13:53:14 +0000

I agree with most everything above and would add that sometimes clutter is an outward manifestation of a psychological issue that requires more than a counselor or life coach. There are times when the only thing that will help is intense psychotherapy and possibly medication to treat depression, anxiety, ADD or a number of other clinical conditions. I personally believe the most people need to let go of the guilt that comes along with clutter and come up with a workable plan to control it. My opinion is that people don’t fail–plans fail.