How to know if you own too much stuff
de·clut·ter/ˈdēklətər 1.remove unnecessary items from (an untidy or overcrowded place).
Maybe you’ve already #decluttered a couple times but you still feel like somethings off...
This has happened to me and probably everyone who's embarked on the journey of minimalism.
Heres a guide for you to figure out if you own too much stuff!
Sometimes it's small changes that make a big difference to your home and the way it feels.
There's a point in the minimal living journey when you have decluttered almost every area of your home, and you still might feel like you have too much stuff.
It’s to be expected really, we live in a consumer culture, where stuff is always entering our homes. Even when we implement a practice of “one in & one out” we still somehow can accumulate more than we intended to, but that's okay.
A more #minimalhome and simple lifestyle is something to be maintained, not an end goal.
Don't let that discourage you because it gets easier and you do reach a place of contentment, where minimal living becomes a habit and your home is much more peaceful than before.
So how to know if you still own too much…. here's some clues
2.Your still shuffling it around from room to room
This can be a tell tale sign that we just don't have the space or time for all of our items. When I began to realize I still had a bit of #decluttering to do was when I was constantly moving decor from one room to another trying to find a place it could go, when in reality no matter how many times I moved it I still didn't like it. This happened with countless signs and nicknacks. Sometimes these items can be hard to pass on. Maybe we do like the item, we just don't have a place for it. You can always try to sell it or donate it, taking some enjoyment out of the idea of someone else finding it and being super excited.
3.Your organizing systems are still not working
You may have gotten rid of enough stuff to start organizing what you chose to keep , maybe you’ve bought bins or baskets to store the things that's are left, while Bins and baskets really do help with organizing , if we have too much stuff in them they are not gonna be as helpful as we want them to be.
4.Your stuff stresses you out
Sometimes knowing when we need to keep decluttering or simplifying our lives is as simple as does your stuff stress you out. Your home is supposed to be just that a home, a haven for you and your family, a place of peace not stress. The point of minimalism really boils down to reducing our stress and helping us to have gratitude, so we have the ability to focus on what truly brings us value.
5.Drawers and closets are still overflowing
This one pretty much speaks for itself , if you can't store your stuff or find what you're looking for you probably still own too much. If your closet is bursting at the seams, or your drawers won't close; it's pretty clear what needs to be done.
6.You can't keep the house clean
-now obviously this can be due to many different things. Maybe you have too much on your plate or you have children, but you could also own too much stuff. It's difficult to keep up on our homes when we double our workload with the things we own. Every item of clothing we have gets washed, all the nick nacks need to be dusted.
Now obviously getting rid of all your stuff should not be done to avoid cleaning. No matter how much you get rid of, you will still have to clean your home. But if we are holding on to items that no longer add value to our lives then there is no point in spending your time organizing and cleaning things that really have no purpose in your life.
What you can do about it !
So if you are at this point and you realize, you still have some decluttering to do.
A great start can be to grab a garbage bag and gather up the obvious clutter; like trash, damaged clothing , broken toys.
After a walk through of the obvious clutter you can move on to section by section decluttering, which basically can be room by room or by category. For example you can #declutter clothes or toys, or you can choose to declutter your kitchen or your bathroom.
I prefer to do room by room decluttering.
Now you don't have to follow a specific way of decluttering; sometimes it helps to just grab a box or a bag and go through your home and try to fill it up.
There's no need to be overwhelmed. You don't have to do everything at once. If you've been simplifying for a while now, you might be surprised how just getting rid of a couple things can restore balance to your home.
If you're short on time or don't want to get in over your head, you can always pick one area that is bothering you and just focus on that one space and leave the rest for another time. Living more minimally, & decluttering our homes is a process. There is no need to get burnt out trying to get it all done in one day.
One simple way to start is to set a timer and pick a spot in your home, this is a simple and effective way to get going without overwhelming yourself.
Here's a couple questions to ask yourself when choosing whether to part with an item:
1-Does this add value to my life?
Sometimes knowing whether an item adds value can be hard , but just asking yourself what value it does have to you or what its purpose is in your life can be a great insight.
2-Do i use it on a regular basis?
Regular can be everyday or maybe it's a seasonal item that can be stored away during certain times of the year, the question really comes down to, do I have a worthwhile use for this item.
3-Is it a duplicate?
There are very few things in life that we need duplicates of, so if you come across some, you can determine which item is your favorite or which one works better for its intended use.
4-Would I buy it again?
Sometimes this question can make things quite clear, if an item is so worthless you wouldn't even buy it again then why keep it.
5-Why do I own this item?
This question is so simple but can really open up your eyes. You might realize the reason for keeping something could be to impress someone else or maybe it was for a different season of life that you're no longer in. This is probably my favorite question to get to the heart of why we own what we own.
Now you don't have to go around to every item in your home and ask these questions, some things we own are just an obvious yes to keep, or can be rather easy to part with.
These questions can serve well when you're just stuck on an item that you are not sure about or have been trying to part with for a while.
I hope this helps you , and remember the process of purging your home is all about progress and not intended to be a one time thing.
It takes time to create a simplified home and to pick and choose what adds to your life. You may not be ready to part with certain things just yet and that's okay. Do what is right for you.
