Clutter Control and Organized Living – Emotions and Language Reveal What You Need to Know
February 7, 2010 by Power Maven
Filed under organic living
Clutter control does not come easily to all people. There is a common vocabulary used by people who are living with clutter and these words and phrases give clues to the effects of clutter on the physical, emotional, and spiritual level. A lot can be learned about the person who has difficulty clearing clutter. Just listen to what they have to say when they describe their life.
Do you recognize any of the following statements or emotions from your own life?
“I feel so bogged down!”- Clutter control is not possible if you cannot move forward in your space or your life. Clutter causes you to feel stuck. You need to be able to move both physically and emotionally to let go of possessions that are tying you to the past.
“I don’t know where to start.” – This statement reflects an inability to focus and difficulty setting priorities or getting clarity on the most important tasks. When setting priorities is difficult procrastination often results in more delayed decisions. More delayed decisions often means accumulation of more clutter.
“I feel like I am suffocating” – This statement is very revealing on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level.
On a physical level a poor clutter control can lead to health problems. Respiratory problems such as allergy induced asthma can be caused by clutter thus making it more difficult to breathe. The term suffocating is quite appropriate to describe this! On an emotional level the word “suffocating” expresses the emotional burden and responsibility that comes with the ownership of too many things. Additionally clearing cllutter means making many decisions and the number and nature of these decisions is weighing heavily on your mind. On a spiritual level clutter prevents you from being who you were created to be, and it stifles the spiritual and creative energies you need to express who you really are.
“I’m so confused.”- This statement reflects the inner turmoil caused by lack of a systematic, ordered life life that has reasonably predictable outcomes.
“I don’t know how it got like this.”- Clutter control requires user friendly systems to control what comes in and what goes out of your space. This statement reflects a lack of a systematic approach to life’s everyday processes and a belief that life’s circumstances are beyond mortal control.
“I am overwhelmed.” – This statement reflects the energy drain that is caused by clutter in your physical environment. Clearing clutter seems like a huge task when your energy has been drained.
“It is hopeless. Every time I try getting rid of clutter, it comes back.” – Hopelessness can be a sign of depression. Depression has been associated with the accumulation of clutter and many clutters consider themselves to be depressed. In fact emotional impoverishment in adolescence has been linked to an inability to develop good clutter control skills.
“I can’t get rid of that it belonged to my father.” - Perhaps the loss of a loved one is not yet fully resolved and you still have an attachment to the object? Clutter control requires living in the present not the past or the future.
“But I think I will use it one day.” – This statement expresses unwillingness to give up hopes and dreams for the future. It is difficult to achieve clutter control if you always view an item as having future future potential. Clearing clutter means living in the present not giving up giving up hopes and dreams for the future. Your hopes and dreams live in your heart not in inanimate objects.
“I can’t get rid of that, it is still in good shape.” - The belief that throwing something away is wasteful reflects a feeling that being wasteful means you are a bad person.
I can’t get rid of that I paid good money for it.” Perhaps you are ashamed that you made a bad purchase? No matter what you paid for it, any purchase that brings an item into your life but adds nothing of value to your life is not a good purchase and bad purchases do happen, even to good people!
Listen to your own excuses and reasons why you cannot achieve organized living through clutter control.
No matter how you interpret the language of clutter one thing is for certain, words like peace, contentment, calm, and orderly will never be present in your vocabulary as long clearing clutter remains an elusive goal.
Beverly Hansen OMalley is a nurse. She likes to write about subjects that help people in their daily lives and loves to organize just about anything. Beverly invites you to visit
www.organization-makes-sense.com where you can find out more about all things related to organized living including the assertiveness training guide for organized living and the real costs of clutter.
