DOES DECLUTTERING LEAD TO HAPPINESS?

In short, yes! We’ve had years of experience with reluctant clients who fear that getting rid of their possessions will take away their identity. One client, when asked whether he found the process cathartic, replied: “My dear, I have never been so stressed in all my 92 years!”. However, every person that we have helped to live with less (including that 92-year-old client) has shown gratitude, relief, and a sense of inner peace once the decluttering process was complete. More to the point, they were all happy.

TOO MANY THINGS STEAL OUR TIME AND ENERGY

Think of cupboards full of clothes and shoes that you never wear. Give some thought to excessive Christmas, Halloween and other holiday decorations. What about drawers full of stationery : pens, elastic bands, numerous staplers, sticky-tape? Ask yourself these questions: have I got too much stuff in a small space? do I really use or wear any of this stuff any more? does this stuff lead to a sense of disorganization? The bottom line is if you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, your excess is stealing your time and energy – time and energy taken to shop, store, tidy, clean, unpack, repack, stock more, find additional storage space etc. The more you feel in control of your time and energy, worrying less about these questions, and spending less on these possessions, the more your uncluttered lifestyle will lead to happiness

Removing clutter gives you space to develop habits that lead to happiness

How much time do you spend trying to solve storage problems, or looking for items in a mound of clutter, or simply tidying and re-tidying, in a never-ending cycle?

Put simply, removing excess clutter gives you more physical and emotional space to develop habits which will lead to happiness. Take time to focus on lifestyle changes that lead to happiness, rather than shifting clutter around.

CONSUMERISM DOES NOT EQUAL HAPPINESS

Sadly, we live in an age of extreme consumerism. It Is hard to not be sucked into the habit of accumulating things in our homes.

Here’s a simple list of questions to ask yourself when next you’re out shopping:

Do I really need this?
Do I have a place to keep this when I get home?
Will this item add value to my life?
Why am I buying this?

These simple questions are an easy way to discourage yourself from purchasing excess. The feeling of happiness you’ll experience after stopping yourself from being taken in by consumerism will be immediate. Consumerism does not equal happiness. The opposite rings true – happiness is a result of not being a slave to consumerism.

Speak to anyone who has traveled the decluttering journey and the message you receive will be the same: take the first steps slowly and with the desire of happiness in mind. Decluttering will make you happy sooner than you think.