This is a collaborative post: When you return to your home after a busy day, does it look like something out of an interior design magazine, with everything beautifully arranged? Or does it look more like a bombsite (and smell bad at the same time)?
Well, if it’s the latter, you’re not alone. Messy homes are something that afflicts even the most pious of families.
The good news is that you can do something about it. Having a big clearout can help you feel better about your home and yourself, improving your emotions. It’s good for the body and even better for the soul.
Start By Accepting The Problem
The first step in a big clearout is to accept that you have a problem and need to do something about it. You’ve accumulated so much stuff over the years; it’s spilling out all over the place and getting in the way of living. Having a little bit is good. Having too much is bad.
Seeing that you have a problem is essential. You don’t actually need as much stuff as you have. But continuing to fill your home is never going to provide you with the security and peace that you crave.
Get Rid Of The Junk
The next step is to create two piles of things you want to keep and stuff that you no longer need.
We recommend splitting things up into three piles if you’re the sort of person who struggles with hoarding.
In pile number one, you put all the stuff you need for daily life. (Be ruthless here).
In pile number two, you put all the things that are nice to have, and you might need in the future.
And in pile number three, put all the junk you no longer want.
The first pile is all the stuff you’re going to keep on-site. The second is the stuff you’re going to throw into storage with a company, like Quick Self Storage. And the third, you’re going to put in a skip.
Are you digging this so far? This approach helps you a lot if you’re one of those people who is prone to hanging onto stuff. Putting things into storage means that you don’t actually have to commit to getting rid of them. Plus it teaches you a valuable lesson – you don’t have to live alongside all your possessions to be happy. You know that your belongings are out there somewhere, but you also benefit from having a house that isn’t rammed with clutter. Over time, you find that you enjoy it!
The final stage is to move on from your junk obsession and adopt a different kind of life. Ideally, you want to think about the emotional reasons for why you feel the urge to fill your home with crap. It always happens for a reason. Perhaps you’re trying to fill some void from your past. Or maybe hoarding is a way to deal with a loved one passing away. Usually, you can find a trigger for your problems.
