What is Clutter?

I talk a lot about decluttering, but it has crossed my mind that MAYBE not everyone truly understands what exactly clutter is.  So let’s talk about what clutter is so it’s easier to figure out what things you should be getting rid of.  

Let me start by saying that clutter is not the same stuff in all homes.  What is clutter to one person may be treasures to another person.  

Clutter is...

1. Anything that no longer serves you.  This is anything that you know you are never going to use again.  Maybe you used it a lot in a previous season of your life, but now you simply don’t use it anymore because something in your life has changed.  

2. Stuff that gets in your way more than it is useful.  If it’s in your way, and you move it all the time but never actually use it, it’s clutter. Sometime it's simply a matter of relocating things to a more functional area of your home.

3. If it mentally exhausts you, it's clutter.  If simply looking at this item, makes you anxious, or just makes you roll your eyes, then it’s clutter.  It’s clearly not bringing you any joy, and why keep things thay only bring you grief or anxiety.

sometimes things just need to be relocated within the home

removing the clutter makes the space function much better

Examples of clutter from my house are craft supplies.  In a prior life I enjoyed crafting as did my kids.  But now I have zero desire to make stuff and as my kids became teenagers they definitely don’t want to craft anymore.  So I got rid of all my old craft supplies.  They were donated to various places that would use them.  This left me with space available in the storage closet for more important things  Another example for me is the pressure cooker in my kitchen.  Yep, I bought one and used it once,  then it sat in the kitchen cabinet for a couple years.  I realized I actually had no desire to use that thing, and despite how much I paid for it, or how much other people raved about them, I sent it off to the donation center.  Now I have space back in my kitchen cabinet for things I do use, things i enjoy using.  These examples show that my clutter is not necessarily someone else’s clutter.  Both of these items were useful, but not everything that’s useful is worth keeping.  In someone else's home, these items might not be clutter. They may be useful to someone else but they are not useful to me, they are clutter.  They were also in my way whenever I needed to access the closet or cabinet they were located in.  

One final thought on clutter…

Don’t let guilt make you keep things you don’t want, or need, or use.  Don’t use the excuse that you paid money for it so you have to keep it.  Yes, I am talking about my pressure cooker. What you don’t realize is that you threw that money away when you brought that thing home.  And it continues to be a waste of money whether you keep it or not.  Anything that you spend money on, but then never use, is a waste of money.  It doesn’t matter if it’s located in your house or someone else’s house.   Basically I bought someone else a pressure cooker. Now i think twice before i buy new things.