There’s no doubt that decluttering can be a chore, but unlike many chores in the home, decluttering has its own special roadblocks that make the task feel overwhelming. Many people suffer from these common decluttering roadblocks but thankfully there are a few strategies to overcome them easily. Here’s what you need to know.
Aspirational Clutter
If you have items sitting in your closet for a rainy day, you are not alone. If those items are being saved for a rainy day when you have a skill that you don’t currently possess, you may be suffering from aspirational clutter. Aspirational clutter consists of the items that you keep in hopes that you will one day be able to use them. They can be tools needed to complete a specific hobby or they can be clothes that don’t currently fit. Whatever they may be, they have one thing in common: you cannot use them right now and have no concrete plans to use them in the near future. Give yourself the room to enjoy the life you are currently living by getting rid of this clutter. If your circumstances change and you need those items you can always purchase them at a later date.
Guilt Collecting
If your well-meaning aunt gave you her prized collection of porcelain clowns or your gruff uncle showed you how much he cared by passing along his rock collection to you, it can be difficult to part with anything. However, if a collection is truly important to a family member they likely would have kept it. Ask your family member if they would like any of the items back. If not, keep a few of your favorites and donate the rest to a worthy cause. Your home is not a museum—you do not need to collect items out of guilt or obligation.
Sunk Cost Fallacy
Investing a lot of money in an item can make it difficult to declutter. If you are having trouble parting with an item you paid a lot for, remember that the money has already been spent. Whether you let the item collect dust in your home or you donate it, the same amount of money has been invested. You have a finite amount of square footage in your home; don’t let an item take up valuable space for no reason.
