How to Reduce Clutter
First, understand it

Trying to reduce clutter in your home or workplace? But maybe wondering, too, if that's even possible? Sure it is. But, to do that, you need to understand what you're dealing with. There's more to clutter than just "stuff."

Like What?
We'll get to that. But first, let’s nail down a definition of clutter. How about this one from Vicky White, a feng shui specialist: “anything unfinished, unused, unresolved, tolerated, or disorganized.” Covers a lot of territory, doesn't it?

To that I would add “anything that crowds any part of your work/home space or your broader life. Particularly if it’s something you don’t really need and/or duplicates something you already have.” You, perhaps, would go broader still or pop in some additional elements.

Now, even our definition gets cluttered. And this on a page that's talking about how to reduce clutter! Sure, I’m just horsing around here, but you also take my point, right? Clutter in all its forms is hard to escape—including mental and emotional clutter. Click here to read about certain kinds of “head trash.”

On this page, though, we’ll confine ourselves to tangible clutter. And does it ever have some downsides! Besides crowding your space, it even seems to make breathing more difficult. As if all that Stuff were sucking up part of the oxygen. And let’s not forget the dust factor—more bad news.

Other people’s stuff. Here’s one for the books: sometimes clutter includes stuff that doesn’t even belong to us. In your case, this might be all those boxes you’re “storing” for your kids/grandkids, friends, and favorite charity’s auction (next year). And the Shaker cradle and highchair you’re saving for your daughter’s first child. Plus, the duplicate garden tools that somehow found their way onto your premises. Somehow, all that stuff has gained a fatal toe-hold in your premises.

Your own accumulation. Like it or not, much of humanity hangs onto stuff; maybe you do as well. Why? Simple habit, perhaps. Or possibly a fear of not having what you need when you need it. (Lots of us can relate to that.) You might hang onto things, as well, out of love or nostalgia. Or thrift or even simple conditioning. Whatever the reason, the end result is often the same: clutter.

You may also over-buy from time to time. Plus, as your tastes change over time, you may buy to accommodate those changes. If you “collect” objects of a particular kind, these collections might further add to your clutter.

Then, add in any projects you begin but never quite finish… No wonder so many of us are wondering how to reduce clutter!

The Costs
If you have this kind of clutter, my friend, it's costing you. It costs you space that could accommodate something you really need or want, or space that could just stay free for elbow-room. It costs you the money you might be paying out for storage.

If the volume of your possessions has forced you to buy or rent a larger dwelling, I don’t have to tell you how much that cost. You and your banker already know. If these same possessions cause you embarrassment or shame, they’re even costing you a portion of your self-esteem.

So, okay already. Maybe you're ready to ditch some of that stuff. If so, click here to read how to reduce clutter gradually and easily. But I'll give you a preview: you do it in small steps—one at a time. And it works...if you don't keep adding more clutter. For another example of the small-steps approach, check out the messy-closet page. Just click here: How to reduce clutter.