We all have different tolerance levels for clutter. When sharing spaces with others, this can cause tension in the relationship. It is often a result of existing mental or physical issues, and vice versa, it can lead to new problems. Severe clutter can have negative impacts on your life, including safety concerns and added anxiety and depression. For the purposes of this article, we will assume that we are not talking about a severe hoarding issue, and that physical issues are not impeding the physical act of decluttering. Understanding what types of clutter we have in our lives will help us move past it.

Types Of Clutter

There are multiple types of clutter, they can be broken down into three categories: physical, emotional, and spiritual. When discussing clutter, most people think of physical clutter. The amount of clutter could be unbearable by one, and yet another won’t find it a problem. When we co-share space with others, we must find a mutual level of acceptance to reduce tensions in the relationship, whether professional or personal.

Physical clutter

Physical clutter often occurs because of an over-attachment to physical items, making it difficult to part ways. These items often are given a rational to justify their presence in the space. This can include it’s usefulness “it will come in handy some day”, or for aspirational goals like “someday I’ll start working out”. Other contributors to this type of clutter include buying multiples of things. This can be triggered by other circumstances, such as stocking up on toilet paper in case there’s another shortage in the future.

Some of the easiest physical clutter to deal with that which doesn’t have a space to call home. Organize your physical spaces and have allocated spots for items to more easily mitigate the mess in your home. When we don’t assign a home, cleaning up is virtually impossible. Teaching this to kids from an early age will help build this repetitive behaviour of assigning a space to all of our physical objects. Another good rule is that if one item comes into the home, one must leave it to make room for the new one. As a bonus, this also reduces overspending.

The hardest type of physical clutter has sentimental value. Getting rid of the family photo albums can be hard. Or granny’s doilies that you remember her knitting while she was babysitting you. If you’ve inherited your mother’s silverware set, even though it is the last thing you need, you hang on to it. After all, it was precious to her. But taking digital photos of items or repurposing elements of these objects into something you use day-to-day can help control the volume of objects in your life.

Sentimental clutter

This is in essence emotional clutter. The objects themselves may have no value beyond the feelings you associate with them. Often those feelings are a means to keep a relationship going with the person who gave you the item(s). Or alternatively, to whom they belonged to previously, especially when it comes to family heirlooms. Guilt and a sense of obligation often keeps people from disposing of these items.

Sentimental clutter can also be associated with a place or time in your life. This can be mementos from your world travels, or the awards you won as a kid. Their physical representations remind you of the feelings you experienced when you attained these objects. Often these are positive memories, so getting rid of these objects becomes hard.

Emotional clutter can also involve negative head space tied to our relationships, professional or personal. If things are not going well with your boss, you are probably giving too much time and head space to every interaction and conversation you have had with them in the recent days. If this goes on for an extended period of time, you lose focus. Your thoughts become predominantly tied to the clutter in your mind. Toxic relationships have this same effect. They create a spiral of negative emotions and a sense of loss of control over your life.

Spiritual clutter

This is not tied to religious beliefs, it is tied to a lack of inner peace. Individuals who experience spiritual clutter are unhappy, they have negative thoughts about themselves and others, and struggle to forgive. They often worry about things that are out of their control. They tend to dwell on the past, and lose sight of the present. A lack of purpose in life can also lead to spiritual clutter. Many people have a hard time realizing that this is what is happening.

Letting Go

People who struggle with clutter tend to struggle with time management, have trouble starting and/or finishing projects, they struggle making decisions, and tend to be people pleasers. The physical objects became a safety blanket and provide a false sense of control. Some of this can also be looked at as having trouble establishing boundaries.

Letting go is hard, but understanding the types of clutter in your life can help you get started on decluttering. You can’t get rid of all of it in one afternoon next weekend. Start identifying the types of clutter you are currently experiencing, then make a plan on how to tackle each area. Start small and scale up. It can be emotionally hard to deal with clutter, so make sure you take baby steps to help you succeed.

Start easy, one space at a time

Start with physical clutter, this should be easier to break down into categories. If you haven’t used it in six months, donate it, sell it, or toss it. If you use it and it doesn’t have a home, dedicate a space for it. Make sure that is easy to remember and get to. But if it is something you only use occasionally, it doesn’t need prime real estate in your home.

Tackle one room at a time, it will make the declutter process easier when doing this for the first time. Then, if need be, break it down into smaller categories. They say that a tidy bedroom can lead to better sleep. It’s a great option for your first crack at decluttering. Break it further down by types of clothing and accessories. Having your space organized makes future cleanup easier. It also reduces exposure to dust and other allergens, as well as other health hazards like mold and mildew.

Tackle the hard stuff

After tackling your physical, address the emotional and spiritual. Is there anything in your life that is affecting you, or is keeping you from being your true self, or living up to your values? Think about your relationships, both professional and personal, are any of those people outright toxic? Can you set up boundaries to limit the clutter you experience from these relationships or is it time to end them? Do you keep certain things/people/behaviours in your life to feel attached to something greater? By practicing mindfulness and self-reflection, you can start to regain control in more aspects of your life and reduce the clutter.

Do you have any baggage you need to get rid of?

Decluttering is often hindered because of the fear of getting rid of the wrong thing, of making the wrong choice, or of losing a connection to someone permanently. But research has shown that once your physical, mental, and spiritual space is organized, you will start to feel more calm, and less stress. The act of doing the declutter can feel like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. And the act of completing a task can be fulfilling in and of itself. Decluttering allows you to be more productive and provides a sense of order. This will have a direct positive impact on your mood and overall well-being. Getting rid of clutter should be an exercise you look at regularly for your self care routine. With practice, it will get easier and faster in the future.

IMAGE CREDIT: Unsplash | Martijn Baudoin.