Recently during quarantine I realized that I had a large amount of things I didn’t need and realised I still held onto them. Decided to organize and get rid of them and this post will deal with some things I thought about.

Why Hoarding holds You back

It is not a bad thing to collect materialistic items such as jewellery, shoes, handbags etc. as long as you care for them. Being ashamed of what you buy and constantly purchasing things you don’t need; it can take over your life negatively. Your savings, your interpersonal relationships etc. can be greatly impacted due to compulsive buying and collecting.

Harvard Health Publishing details how to tell if your collector or hoarder and as well the reasons that contribute stockpiling and what can be done.

Useless Space

By collecting so many invaluable things or animals, places such as your bedroom, living room, kitchen etc. don’t serve their original purpose. Care is not given as what is collected is being placed in every place of your personal home. The Mayo Clinic has a detailed outline of what causes this and why it may be hard to let go.

Loss of Identity

When you place a higher value on materialistic items than yourself, you become obsessed with the feeling they give you.When objects are constantly being brought into a personal space, the place that is meant to bring inner peace to yourself is lost. The materialistic items take over your life and as well invade your space.

Ways to Declutter

Below are a few tips on how to deal with hoarding in some small ways.

Let Go of What You Don’t Need

This may seem like an obvious choice to set on but it may be hard to part with things you value. If you have a huge collection of makeup palettes, a huge amount of clothes you don’t wear-its time to get rid of it.

Don’t get rid of everything in one go take your time to decide whether you will ever use or wear them before letting them go.

Take Time

Getting rid of stuff you have accumulated over a while is hard, however you can plan on how much to get rid of. There is no need to stress yourself out with instantly getting rid of stuff you don’t need.

Making a plan for a timeline you want to arrange and organize is important. Asking help from professional organizers, family and friends can put you at ease.

Organize

Before you make arrangements of gettign rid of thinsg you dont need; always make sure to plan ahead. When your have the help of a professional organize or family and friends, planning and organizing can be easier to do.

Having items such as clothing, blankets, cutlery etc. placed in different boxes or storage containers can be easier to label. Labeling whether certain storage is going for donation, yard sale, disposal etc. is a form organization and planning.

Donate Clothes

Donating clothes or items to various organizations in your local area can assist in dealing with excessive collecting. Activist organizations such as BLM (Black Lives matter), Gender Based Violence or Shelters etc. may be places you can consider to donate to. Although you’re letting go of things you valued, someone else may be needing it to get by.

Remake and Sell Clothes

Getting creative can make it easier to let go. Reinventing an old t-shirt, fleece etc. into something valuable can be quite relaxing. SaveThe Student and OneGreenPlanet both have suggestions on how to re-use old clothes into blankets, purses, hand warmers etc.

This doesn’t necessarily mean every piece of old clothing can be repurposed, if it’s in good condition-you can find a way to re-use it.

The upside is if you find you have a knack for creating, you can always make some extra money for yourself. Doing a yard sale, sell on Ebay or an auction can help ease letting go of stuff you don’t have a purpose for anymore. Kiplinger details other ways to make money.

Conclusion

Sometimes we hold on to things for the value they bring us. However, when they start to pile up and take over our lives its important to remove them. Its okay to let go and give away and take your freedom and power back.

If you do need some help in dealing with excessive collecting do reach out to Doctors or Health Institutes that can assist you in your local area.

Do leave comments down below on your own opinions or additions.