Moving into a new subdivision, apartment, or condo in Herriman or anywhere else can be exciting for homeowners. This life stage is a perfect opportunity to turn over a new leaf or start a fresh chapter in life. People with hoarding tendencies, however, should be careful. Accumulating too much stuff can lead to various consequences, including reduced quality of life, decreased living space, and accelerated house aging.
Take note of the following suggestions if you are looking to curb this “packrat” behavior:
Understand Your Reasons for Hoarding
People hoard items for a variety of reasons. If someone grew up poor, for instance, they keep items that they think they can use in the future. It’s also possible that they keep items for its sentimental value. Merely seeing these “cherished” possessions gives the owner a sense of nostalgia.
Other times, people hoard because they simply do not know what to do with the item (apart from tossing it) or when to use it. They eventually forget about this item and begin to collect dust.
Once you’ve determined your reason for hoarding, develop a habit of evaluating the items you bring into your house. When looking at an item, determine why you should still keep an item in your house. It’s advisable to get the help of an impartial person to help you decide.
Alternatively, you can try the KonMari method when evaluating the possessions in your house. If the item in question doesn’t “spark joy”, don’t hesitate to throw them into your garbage bin.
Try to do this as often and as soon as possible. Doing this activity frequently prevents stashed items from piling up and becoming a hassle to sort or discard.
Avoid Confusing Hoarding over Collecting
Learn to distinguish the difference between collecting and hoarding. Collectors make sure to properly organize the items they bring home. They feel happy and proud of their collection. On the other hand, hoarders feel annoyed or ashamed of their possessions, as they look at most of these items as clutter.
If you are collecting items or memorabilia, keep it to a minimum. This applies to paper items, such as report cards or children’s artworks. Don’t choose both. If you have a hard time letting go of items, keep them in a box. After 6 months, decide which items to keep and which ones to throw in the trash can. Feel free to use the KonMari method to help with your decision-making.
Keep Belongings You Use Frequently
Try to look at your items in a practical manner. Besides keeping a few sentimental items, keep only the things you use constantly. Slowly work through all the rooms of your house. If you have a ton of clothes in your closet, for instance, keep the ones you wear often and donate the rest to charity. Alternatively, you can give your used clothes to friends or family members.
Figuring out your reasons for hoarding, avoiding looking at hoarding as collecting, and keeping only the items you use frequently helps curtail unwanted hoarding habits. Letting go of items you’ve gathered through the years can be difficult. With practice, however, you can keep your living space free from clutter.
