Decluttering - not just for possessions

Clutter, it seems, is now part of a larger social problem. It is not only an issue for people described as "hoarders", but is afflicting many on a broader scale. A recent report sheds light on the problem in general by comparing house sizes from the 1950's to today. They go into details explaining that homes used to be smaller in size and would have more occupants (larger families inhabiting them). Compared to how now, as a side effect of a growing consumer market, builders have had to adjust by creating larger houses that would not only have less occupants, but essentially be mostly used for storage. We even have a growing business sector that specializes in storage space so that people can have extra room outside of their homes for their possessions.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not sitting on top of my pedestal looking down. Quite on the contrary, I'm right in there with those who find themselves in this situation. I definitely have had trouble letting go of "stuff" in the past, to the point where both my basement and garage have literally been designated as storage space. Forget about parking the car, I need to park my other possessions that I know I barely use. You might now be asking yourself "What's the point of this post Chris?". In a recent effort to simplify and reorganize my life, I have been slowly getting rid of many of my possessions. This clean up is a long process that I am undertaking as a means of moving on from the old but also to prepare a new future where I am spending less time and money on material things that I end up not using. As I make my way through all theses things, I have been spending time wondering if just getting rid of stuff would be enough to stop the cycle. Can it be as easy as that? My impressions at first were, yes of course. But now, I think a second phase needs to occur.

Decluttering the mind. You can get rid of things by throwing them out, recycling them or even reselling them. But, if you don't fundamentally change your mindset, you will be doomed to repeat your previous habits. And it'll happen without you even noticing it. As an example, let's take one of the items I'll be getting rid of - a printer. Why am I getting rid of it? Because I bought a newer one a few months back with new features that I preferred. The old printer was also giving me trouble with installation with my new operating software. When I was younger, I would've performed troubleshooting for days in order to get it working. Now, my time priorities have shifted to spending that time with my kids. I did what most people will do, find an easier solution. But why did I keep the old printer? In case I find a solution in the future, I could use it. Problem is, I never did and that printer is in my basement collecting dust. And there lies the main issue. I have to recognize this thought pattern and make sure I don't repeat this in the future, or I risk finding myself spending a lot of time, once again, sifting through all too many possessions in an all too familiar setting.

I started to force myself to rethink how I spend my money on products. Things essential to life (like food, clothing) will be purchased without much of a thought. When it comes to non-essentials, that's where I stop and think "Will I ever use this, or is the idea of owning it ruling my desire to buy it?". If the answer is "yes I will get use out of it", I also force myself to think if I have another version of it at home that is either not getting the use it deserves or fulfilling my needs in it's current form. If I own one that's not getting used, there's no point in spending money on something else that will not get enough use. If I am getting enough use of the one I already own, will replacing it with a newer version be worth the expense? At this point, if I determine that the new version with be worth the expense, I then resolve to sell/give the product I currently own. The actual purchase of the new product will not take place until I get rid of the old one. It's been a process, but it is taking root. I think less and less about buying things knowing that there's a whole array of questions and answers that need to take place prior. I have essentially found a way to declutter my mind of excessive thoughts of consumption, which has the added benefit of helping me keep physical clutter down in my life.

So, can I change in such a way that others will be able to reproduce my results and successes in their own lives? The reason I'm not sure it will work for everyone is mainly because it is a concept that produces a negative response instead of a positive one. I dissuade myself from buying something because of what I need to do to allow such a purchase to take place. Maybe one day I'll find a more positive approach to it all, but for now, I make it work.

(image via Peakpx)