How many times have mothers all over the world asked their children to get rid of clutter? How many wives have convinced their husbands they don’t need their high school memorabilia or all that fishing clutter they no longer use? How many families have had to get rid of clutter because they’re forced to pack and move to a new state? There are even husbands who are neat freaks and are continually frustrated by their clutter bug wives! (Yes, ladies, it happens!)
Have you ever noticed something missing after your wife or husband held a garage sale or hauled off a load to charity? How many parents are forced to wait for someone to baby-sit their child so they could sort through the overflow of the toy box and get rid of the broken toys and just plain trash to avoid a scene?
Of course, the saying, ‘One man’s junk is another man’s treasure’, rings true many times. Many mothers have held onto gifts they had no intentions of using or that don’t fit properly. It’s the thought that counts, right Mom? Well, the thought can become a burden when you wake up one day and realize you’ve become overrun by clutter because you just couldn’t bear to part with all the little treasures you’ve been given over the years. Getting to the point that allows you to break free of your clutter can bring along a sense of freedom and relief. It can lift your spirits, lighten your load, and relieve some of your mental stress.
Being surrounded by clutter can be visually stressful. Your home is supposed to be your castle, not your junkyard. Instead, it sometimes becomes a negative aspect that you dread returning to simply because of the mess it’s become.
If you’re embarrassed to invite company or family over because of clutter, it’s time to get rid of it. If it hampers your lifestyle, get rid of it. If it dampens your spirits, get rid of it. Clutter can bring a negative aura to your environment. It can be a visual that your life is a mess, that you’re a slob, and that you just don’t care. It can create a negative image of you to those you may wish to impress. Maybe you didn’t get that promotion at work because your work area is always junky.
Sometimes children will get rid of clutter simply for the shock value. They’ll take an unsuspecting parent to their rooms, open their doors, and say, “Look, Mom (or Dad), I cleaned!” Then their face will beam with happiness and pride as the parent looks around in awe and wonders what came over their child! They first thought is probably whether or not the child did something wrong and is trying to make amends! But the point here has been proven. Getting rid of clutter is a positive step forward. Some time ago, I used to clean for a family who had this much clutter throughout their house. Each time we arrived we never knew where to start first, we became very overwhelmed with the cleaning task.
Does your desk look like this?
