I always talk about how decluttering is a form of self-care and can have a huge positive impact on your life. But what if decluttering ends up becoming an addiction? It’s good to spend a few hours every month getting rid of clutter in your home but when it becomes a compulsive behaviour rather than just a healthy practice, you know that it’s time to seek help.
You must have come across a lot of people who practice decluttering religiously and have been able to put reasonable limits to how often they declutter. Somehow, this habit rubs on to you and makes you want to get rid of things that are not adding value to your life. This pressure to stay clutter-free at all times can sometimes turn you into a compulsive declutterer so much so that it starts having a negative impact on your life.
Do you feel anxious about owning too much stuff?
Does the slightest bit of clutter make you feel overwhelmed so much so that you can’t even function properly?
Do you often find yourself running to the store to buy items similar to the ones you have recently discarded?
Do you experience unreasonable amount of satisfaction every time you throw away an item?
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Look out for signs of compulsive decluttering and acknowledge the issue at the soonest. Maybe it’s temporary and will go away soon. But if you think that it’s been there for a long time, get psychological help as soon as possible. Besides seeking professional help, here are a few things you can do to stop compulsive decluttering:
1. Acknowledge That There Is A Problem
Acknowledging and accepting what you are going through is the easiest way to stop compulsive decluttering. When you know that you have the tendency of getting rid of useful items on impulse, it would become easier for you to resist the urge to declutter.
For instance, when you face the urge to cut down the decor in the living room when it’s already minimal, convince yourself of the fact that it’s probably happening because of your compulsive habits. Think hard before getting rid of the items and try as much as possible to resist the urge.
2. Redirect The Energy To Some Other Activity
The main reason why you’ve been decluttering compulsively is because you are thinking too much about it. When all you can think about is clutter and how you can tackle it, you feed your desire to declutter.
In order to beat the compulsive thoughts, try and distract your mind into doing something else. Use all the decluttering energy to accomplish another task that is not related to cleaning or decluttering. Take up a hobby that you’d like or listen to some good music.
3. Start Doing Mindfulness Exercises
Mindfulness, as a practice, can do wonders for your ability to focus and concentrate. As a compulsive declutterer, you can do mindfulness exercises to distract your mind from thinking about decluttering all the time.
Every time you find it hard to resist to urge to declutter, go to the balcony of your house or to the garden and listen to the sounds of nature. Focus your mind on the birds that are chirping or the cats that are meowing. Mindfulness, if practiced on a regular basis, can be a great solution to your compulsive habits.
4. Think From Someone Else’s Perspective
Every time you feel the urge to declutter an item, think from the perspective of a person who you admire and love. This person may be your Mom or your best friend or even your neighbour who is smart at maintaining their home.
For instance, if you experience the urge to get rid of the only coffee maker you have because you haven’t used it in the last 2 weeks, do what you think your Mom would do in such a situation. Would she wait for a few more months to see if the coffee maker becomes useful? Or would she just get rid of it on impulse?
Thinking from someone else’s perspective works as a second opinion and helps in situations where you need to make quick decisions but can’t trust yourself.
5. Learn To Live With The Discomfort
Compulsive decluttering will drive you to feel discomfort around things you deem as clutter. And you will experience the constant urge to get rid of the item to make the feeling of discomfort go away. Don’t give yourself the option to act on this urge, and tell yourself that you need to learn to co-exist with stuff. The only way to build tolerance against discomfort is to practice it continuously.
6. Move Your Stuff Somewhere Else
Decluttering items on impulse brings in some respite that is temporary and will go away after a few minutes. If you feel the compulsion to throw away an item, say a piece of clothing or a book or a kitchen appliance, shift it to an area where it won’t be visible all the time. Put it in the bed box or a cupboard that doesn’t get opened often.
7. Do A Lot Of Self-Talk
Engaging in positive self-talk is like being your own therapist. Use self-talk to remind yourself of the values and principles you stand for. Ask yourself uncomfortable questions and answer them with utmost honesty:
- Do I want to waste my entire life obsessing about decluttering?
- Is this a good way of living my life?
- What other productive things can I do rather than just spending my days obsessing about decluttering?
Compulsive decluttering shouldn’t be seen as something that can’t be cured. Compulsive decluttering, in the simplest terms, means that you see objects in your house as a problem bigger than it’s supposed to be. And once recovered, you will be able to see objects in your house as just the facilitators of life rather than a huge problem.
Are there more ways to stop compulsive decluttering that you would like to add here? Share your thoughts in the comments below or write me at hello@theaestheticabode.com.