This morning, I read a funny quote from Joshua Becker:
“If you’re not using the stuff in your home, get rid of it. You’re not going to start using it more by shoving it into a closet somewhere.”
As we approach the holiday season, many of us might be guilty of doing exactly that—shoving stuff into closets as we prepare to welcome family and friends into our homes. It made me laugh because we’ve all done it at some point. But, as you know, that’s not a real solution to clutter.
Are you one of the millions of Americans who struggles to part with sentimental items or other things you’re attached to?
You know, those items you can’t imagine letting go of.
Even if you’re tired of living in a cluttered environment, you might keep putting up with it because every time you try to declutter, certain things stop you in your tracks.
At least, that’s what you keep telling yourself.
You can always find a reason to procrastinate or avoid decluttering those special things—like your grandmother’s jewelry or your mom’s china.
And that’s okay. I get it. We all have those items that mean a lot to us.
But that’s not what I’m talking about right now.
I’m talking about the hidden clutter—the stuff you don’t actually need but keep convincing yourself you do.
Just to name a few:
- Old tires in your garage, long replaced by the ones on your car.
- A box of rusted screws and nails from your dad’s workshop.
- Love letters from your sixth-grade boyfriend or girlfriend.
- Books that look great on the shelf but have never been read.
- Sales receipts from 10 years ago.
- A wedding gown from your first (or second!) marriage, even though you’re happily remarried.
- Your grown son’s smelly soccer shirt from his high school championship days.
- Appliance manuals from your previous home.
Did any of these make you smile—or laugh out loud? Hopefully, they’ll inspire you to create your own list of clutter culprits. Once you see how long these items have been taking up space, you’ll realize it’s time to let them go.
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Why do we hold onto this stuff?
There are plenty of reasons (or excuses) we tell ourselves we can’t possibly part with certain items. Let’s take a closer look at three of the most common:
- “Just in case I need it someday.”
Who knows? Maybe you’ll need that old appliance manual from your previous house! 😊 - “I spent good money on it.”
How could you get rid of the wedding dress from your first marriage? You spent so much money on it! - “I’ll feel guilty if I don’t keep it.”
Even though you live in a tiny 200-square-foot apartment in Manhattan, you’ve squeezed in your grandmother’s bedroom furniture because you’d feel guilty if you didn’t.
These reasons may feel valid at first glance, but they’re often just excuses to avoid facing the emotions of letting go.
Granted, some feelings are real—but others are just stories we’ve been telling ourselves for years. If you’re serious about decluttering, it’s time to face the facts.
How to move forward?
Sometimes, laughter really is the best medicine—especially when it helps us see through the lies we’ve been telling ourselves.
If you can acknowledge the truth, you’ll find the courage to finally let go of the hidden clutter lurking in your garage, closet, or drawers.
So have fun with it. Laugh at yourself, and just get started! You’ll be so glad you did.
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