Having a lot of things can sometimes give us a sense of security. This is often especially true if we grew up without everything we needed and have a scarcity mindset. We don't want to go back to living in want and so we may hold onto things because we're afraid we won't be able to replace them if we need them again.
Outside of hoarding disorders, many types of mental difficulties will make it harder to declutter. Depression, anxiety, enhanced feelings of guilt, among a few. This is probably something to address in therapy or with another professional, if you're up for it.
The 50% rule for clutter is a straightforward yet powerful principle: reduce the number of items in any given space by half.
This by-the-numbers decluttering strategy is simple: Only take up 80% of any given space in your home with stuff, and leave the other 20% empty. Generally, that means getting rid of about 20% of the items in your house to ensure your home is comfortable and has a feeling of spaciousness.
Clutter puts your mind into overdrive, causing your senses to focus on what isn't important, leading to stress. A messy environment draws your attention from where it ought to be.
Behavioral/psychological: Clutter caused by depression, attention deficit disorder, low self-esteem or lack of personal boundaries. Time/life management: Clutter caused by the need for better planning. Of these, the behavioral/psychological-driven clutter is the hardest to solve.
Symptoms of ADHD Clutter Anxiety
This may include cluttered surfaces, piles of paperwork or clothing, and difficulty finding necessary items. People with ADHD clutter anxiety may also experience feelings of overwhelm or anxious when faced with clutter or disorganization.
The idea behind Project 333 is simple: Wear only 33 articles of clothing for the next 3 months. All clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes count towards your number. Exceptions include wedding rings, underwear, sleepwear, in-home loungewear, and workout clothing.
🎉 💡 How to Use the 5-Second Rule: ✔️ Pick an area to declutter (closet, kitchen, drawers—anywhere!) ✔️ Pick up one item at a time. ✔️ Decide in 5 seconds: Keep, Donate, or Trash.
Coined by pro organizer Kayleen Kelly, the “Core 4 Method” breaks the decluttering process into four simple steps: clear out, categorize, cut out, and contain. In essence, it's designed to take the stress and overwhelm out of the organizing process.
“The entryway into one's home should be the first space you organize above all others, whether that is a foyer, long hallway, or just an entrance area,” according to Jane Stoller, founder of Organized Jane and author of “Decluttering for Dummies.”
There's the phenomenon know as the endowment effect, which is this idea that once we have this item or own an item, it's much more difficult for us to let go of that item. We value that item much more highly than we would if we didn't “own” that item. So there's a built-in mechanism that we have to save things.
"Excessive clutter and disorganization are often symptoms of a bigger health problem, such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), depression or obsessive compulsive disorder," Hurtado says. "If this is the case, the behavior needs to change versus the logistics of the home, like space or layout."
Compulsive decluttering is a type of disorder that is classified within a broad name, obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. Compulsive decluttering is the act of throwing items, or clutter, away, or getting rid of them in an attempt to "clean up" what one with the disorder may think is cluttered.
What Is the 90/90 Rule? Here's the gist: When you come upon an object you're unsure about decluttering, ask yourself two questions: Did you use it in the past 90 days? If not, will you use it in the next 90 days? If your answer is “no” to both questions, away it goes.
Research has shown that people are less irritable, less distracted, more productive, and better able to process information with an uncluttered and organized work area.
It's important to touch each item in a space when decluttering because the action forces a decision. Work hard to put as many things as possible into the “remove” pile. You need much less than you think you need.
Serenity as the Inspiration. Trish Buscemi, a specialist who creates calm interiors for those with cognitive learning challenges, recommends blue, green, and muted brown towns for bedrooms of children with ADHD. These gentle hues actually work well with people of all ages seeking a space that inspires rest and calm.
On the other hand, some people are not affected by clutter and can function well in a messy environment. This is because clutter does not have the same psychological impact on them as it does on others. They might find comfort in the chaos and feel more creative and inspired in a cluttered space.