Parenting Article: Letting Go & the Top 5 Benefits of Getting Organised

By: Rebecca Mezzino

We all have too much stuff, and we know we have too much stuff, but we're not quite sure how to go about reducing our stuff!

Most people are aware when they have too much stuff, but most will name the problem something else. They will call it "not enough time" or "need a bigger home" or "saving it for a rainy day". Yet, they will also say they feel like they are suffocating, like their head is just full of a big jumble of clutter and they are drowning in a sea of their belongings.

Many people with too much stuff go to great lengths to organise their belongings. They will buy containers and cupboards, even a shed or two, to store and organise their belongings into. They will install a wardrobe in their spare room to put the clothes in that won't fit in their main wardrobe. They will move and buy a bigger house (at great expense) because they need more room.

The truth is that these people don't need more room; they simply need less stuff. The truth is that you are not your belongings. The truth is that you cannot base your happiness on your material possessions. The truth is that when you have too much of what you think makes you happy, you become miserable.

We need to be careful that we do not place our most important things second to our stuff. Our relationships - our families and friends - should always come first. When you are putting material possessions ahead of your relationships and your own mental health, you are paddling in the wrong pond.

So how do you reduce your stuff so that it no longer controls your life?

It can be hard, especially if you have a strong tendency to emotionally attach to things. But you can do it, you just need to start slowly and work your way up to the hard stuff. Perhaps start in the garden shed, or in the kitchen, where things are less likely (although definitely not unlikely!) to have emotional meaning.

For each item that you handle, think about the emotion you feel when you hold it (or in the case of clothes, wear it). Is it guilt? Shame? Disgust? Indifference? Embarrassment? Be very honest with yourself. If you find it gives you a positive feeling, question it to make absolutely sure. If you think "It reminds me of Great-Aunty Mae" ask yourself why. If you then say "Because she gave it to me", then ask yourself if you actually like it. No? Then the feeling you most likely think is a positive thought is probably more like guilt! You don't need something that makes you feel guilty to remember somebody by! Don't listen to that little voice in your head that says "Yeah, but..." because it's just going to talk you into keeping something that is robbing you of the chance to live your best life.

The basic rule of thumb is that if you neither love it, need it or use it, it's clutter and it's going to suffocate you - it must go. If it doesn't directly help you achieve the life you want to live - it must go.

Ask yourself the hard questions and start letting go - you'll thank yourself for it when you get your life back!

Top 5 Benefits of Getting Organised

We all know that we feel better when we're organised - here's why!

1. We save money. This is a big one. No more duplicate items, no more losing things, no more late fees on bills! (I am also quite good at finding lost money when decluttering, too!)

2. We save time. This is as important (if not more) because it means more soul time. More time with family, with friends, or with our own hobbies. I'm sure noone has ever been recorded on their death bed as saying "I wish I'd spent more time looking for my keys".

3. We are healthier. Less clutter and more time means you cook more, you can clean your home better, and you have time for exercise and looking after yourself. If you're a bit out of shape you'll find that as your house loses weight, so will you.

4. We have better relationships. You don't fight over the clutter and how it got there or whose it is, and you aren't constantly nagging everyone to clean up. You can invite friends over for entertaining. You can have more time together as a family doing fun things instead of housework. Dare I say it, but even your love-life improves when your bedroom is a haven instead of a storage facility!

5. We are happier within ourselves. You can breathe without feeling suffocated by your stuff and your never-ending reminders of things to do. You can have more self-confidence and can clearly define and action your goals - you can achieve anything you set out to achieve!

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