How About The Whys Behind Decluttering..

AmyB
AmyB Posts: 4
edited September 24 in Decluttering Cure 2024

The psychology of clutter/hoarding is interesting and need more of the why behind the behavior and the whys to stop and get out of the behavior….

For people who have lived with it for years and just are in overwhelm to do much, I want more ways to make it easier to let go.

Part of my issue is that I think everything is worth selling. Therefore tossing it gives me anxiety.

Comments

  • losfrangeles
    losfrangeles Posts: 63 ✭✭✭

    One of my parents grew up REALLY poor, and has struggled to part with no-longer-needed items because when you have NO money, it may be difficult or impossible to replace something. Even if you’ve been financially stable for years, it’s hard to unlearn that.

    Someone I know who works with homeless people says hoarding what looks like trash (to a housed person) is a response to not being able to replace anything easily. Same issue, different circumstances.

  • StephanieNguyen
    StephanieNguyen Posts: 101

    Expert

    Hi @AmyB. Our team put together a beautiful package discussing the link between mental health and homekeeping. It showcases so many personal stories, reported pieces, and more that I think you may enjoy reading. https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/features/mind-body-home-2024

  • Zephy
    Zephy Posts: 28

    I think it's because we live in an era awash in stuff, and it's easy to acquire things. It's probably like food: humans are designed to find eating pleasurable and store calories because we evolved when it was harder to find food, and those impulses helped us survive. But now that we live in an era of easy food, those same impulses have become unhealthy. Ditto for acquiring things. Probably in evolutionary terms, being attracted to things and keeping things helped us survive. But now, when it's so easy to get so many things, that same impulse leads us into trouble.