February 22, 9:12 AM
Clutter is a very common problem among every single Apartmentite that I have ever come across in my entire life. It's perfectly natural, but the bad part is: it spreads! Then before you know it, you have tons of clutter of junk that you don't really need piling up all over your apartment. We clutch on to these things for dear life for reasons that seem beyond our control.
Are they truly beyond our control? Heck no! So why do we hang on to these things and let the clutter build? There are three main reasons:
Maybe You'll Need Or Want It One Day- Many of us cling on to stuff and let it store up for the day that we will be able to use it again. I call this, "The Plastic Shopping Bag Effect." Like we hang on to plastic shopping bags that build a ball of plastic in our pantries, we also have a tendency to store books, clothes, cds, etc, etc, etc in hopes that we will break them out again. You have to distance yourself from these things. Let them go. If it doesn't work for you or you don't use it now, toss it or donate these items to someone else who will use them.
It Meant So Much To Me- That awesome worn out T-Shirt that your Aunt Ethel gave to you when you were twelve, that means so much to you shouldn't be collecting dust in your closet. Another huge reason that Apartmentites let clutter build up is with stuff that is very sentimental to them. If you have items that are near and dear to your heart and you absolutely must keep, stuff them in a box or trunk and get rid of the rest. You'll be pleasantly surprised how much clutter that you get rid of and how good you'll feel being clutter-free. Besides, what would Aunt Ethel say if she saw you living in filth and clutter?
Stuff Does Not Make The Person- Sometimes clutter builds from all the stuff that an Apartmentite collect to show off their different eclectic sides. Whether its artsy-fartsy books, alternative cds, or obscure cool looking pieces of junk, remember that all it does is add clutter. The things that you own and try to show off, does not show anything about who you truly are or your character other than you possibly being a base show off. So if you never touch it and don't really need it...put it in a bag and toss it away! Easy as that.
If you follow these tips in helping keep yourself and your apartment clutter free, you'll be smiling in freedom in no time!