Yes, it's true. I have a hard time letting go. I tend to hold on to things whether it's good for me or not. I think I have always been that way. I remember when my mom would have yard sales and my sister would put, like all her stuff in it; barbies, dolls, collectibles, whatever would make her money. Not me. I might get rid a few items, but unless my mom forced me to, I was keeping my stuff. I believed my stuffed animals and dolls had feelings and I did not want to hurt them. Plus, what if the next person was mean to them? It was just too hard.
Some things don't change. No, I don't think my possessions have feelings, but I do form some attachment that isn't logical to my stuff. Especially my children's stuff. I still have clothes that my oldest son, who is 11 years old wore. A lot of them got passed down to his brother, but I still have some of them. I just can't let go of the memories those items hold.
When I went to inpatient treatment, I left home with maybe two bags of stuff. I came back with my van packed clear full and I had to make another trip back to get some more stuff. I don't know how I manage to accumulate so much junk. Things that I "collect" now? Magazines and more magazines, books and more books, movies and more movies, and food. I am a couponer. Not an extreme couponer, but I do extremely hoard coupons. Saving money on groceries makes me feel good. It is exciting. And I always want my pantry and freezer stocked. I know the reasons behind the food thing. I struggled a bit, there for a while, and I never want my family to go hungry or wonder what I am going to feed them. But as for the rest, I don't know.
So, I have been working on getting rid of the clutter. It has been causing me an enormous amount of stress. When I walk into the house after a long work day, I want to relax, not be overwhelmed by a mass of stuff. It is so overwhelming to look at and sometimes I don't even know where to begin, so I don't begin at all. But I have been working on it. Things are starting to look less chaotic in my living room. I think the less stuff I have, the happier I will. I want to keep it simple from now on.
It seems in America, this is a common thing. "More is better," we think. But all it does is cause more stress. So I am cleaning up my clutter and slowly but surely getting rid of my junk. I'm sure I'll be much happier and so much more peaceful. I'm already getting there.
Prepac Shoe Storage Cubby Bench
Heavy-Duty 4-Shelf Steel Shelving - Storage Supplies
Please leave questions or comments or tips about how you manage your clutter.
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