Decluttering can be a very worthwhile and valuable endeavour. There is a wide array of benefits to the process, from practical benefits to improvements in your mental health. And who among us doesn’t dream of a perfectly organised home?
However, decluttering on its own is a fruitless effort. Without personal evaluation and insight, any progress you make will more than likely be undone.
Read on to discover why decluttering isn’t working for you, and how deeper personal insight can lead to lasting change.
Decluttering doesn’t require introspection.
Getting rid of stuff you haven’t used in the last year or donating an item of clothing for each new piece you bring home are short-term fixes.
For decluttering methods to stick, you must evaluate your reasons for the decisions you make regarding your possessions, such as making statements regarding your values, passions and desires. Journalling is one great way to evaluate your motives.
Decluttering won’t help you understand your attachment to possessions.
Delving a little deeper, you must actually consider the personal motivations for your attachment to the stuff you own.
For example, do you hold onto things because you fear being without? Further examination may lead to the realisation that you are holding onto habits from a childhood of poverty and that it’s okay now to let go of your abundance of stuff.
Decluttering doesn’t benefit others.
Decluttering without mindfulness does little to help others who could benefit from your overstock. Taking steps to get rid of some things and tidy up, without understanding your reasons for doing so, rarely leads to the kinds of results that could come from purposeful action.
When you understand what you hope to gain from this release of clutter, you can significantly pare down your possessions, allowing more people to benefit from your abundance.
Decluttering has no impact on your debt.
You may think decluttering can help you raise some cash by selling your unwanted things. However, without examining your motives for acquiring so much stuff and evaluating your priorities in life, you’re practically guaranteed to buy more items to take the place of those you’ve sold.
Decluttering rarely leads to lifestyle changes.
Mindless decluttering is temporary. Your clean and organized environment is merely a facade that isn’t likely to last. If you want to change your life by implementing healthy changes and making positive strides, you first must do the work of introspection.
Taking time to evaluate what has led to your clutter and to consider your lifestyle goals will go a long way toward creating a soothing home environment that lasts. Decluttering doesn’t work on its own, but combining it with mindfulness can lead to success.