When Clutter Leads to Overwhelm
The professional organizing industry is growing, partly due to popular social media content, television shows, and books that continue to raise awareness about the industry. Much of this media promotes beautifully curated pantries, closets, and shelves with all the latest organizing trends: acrylic containers, woven baskets, and color coordination.
But a desire for picture-perfect organization is not sufficient to fuel an entire industry of organizers. The reality is that we are drowning in our stuff, and many people are turning to organizers to declutter, downsize, and right-size their belongings so they can focus on what truly matters to them.
OVERWHELM
One of the most common phrases professional organizers hear is “I’m overwhelmed,” and clutter is often the culprit. At some point, we just plain run out of space for our things, and life becomes unmanageable. Here is what it’s like to be overwhelmed because of clutter.
You can’t find the things you need.
You can’t put things away because everything is already full, or the things don’t have a home.
You know you have more than you need, but you don’t know where to begin decluttering.
You know you need to make hundreds if not thousands of decisions if you are to address the problem, but fatigue sets in after just a few minutes.
You carve out time to work on a specific project on the weekend, only to end up jamming most of the items back where you found them.
The clutter is creating chaos in your life and relationships, but you feel powerless to do anything about it.
You feel embarrassed because TV and social media suggest that everyone else’s house looks great!
YOU ARE NOT ALONE
If this is you, please know that you are not alone. No matter what social media says, most people have somewhere between a small to a large amount of clutter in their homes, even if it’s just in out-of-sight places.
We are all susceptible to situational factors that can lead to clutter. These include consumer culture; a powerful marketing industry that leverages the brain’s reward system to promote purchases; major life transitions and disruptions; impaired executive functioning; pressing demands such as work or childcare; and physical limitations. And this is far from an exhaustive list.
IT’S OKAY TO ASK FOR HELP
If you have gotten to the point of feeling overwhelmed by your possessions, you may not know where to begin. You likely have already made several attempts to tackle the clutter to no avail.
When this happens, it’s perfectly okay to ask for help. A close friend or family member may be more than happy to assist you. You can ask them to provide direct, hands-on assistance or to keep you company while you work, so you stay focused and accountable. If this isn’t possible or appealing, you can also reach out to a professional home organizer. Their job is to provide hands-on help and moral support as you tackle the clutter.
Decluttering can be tiring and emotional. A professional organizer is a non-judgmental, helpful partner in getting you on the road to a happier life where you are not ruled by your things.
FUNCTION FIRST
The gold standard for organization is not how your space looks; it’s whatever enables you to function well in your home. For people who are very aesthetic-minded or committed to minimalism, that may mean pursuing an aspirational look that is worthy of a photo shoot. But for you, it may be something much more specific to the habits and rhythms of your own family.
Most people’s journey toward organization has less to do with appearances and more to do with ease, functionality, and freedom. While many organizing clients do acquire new organizing products to support their needs, decluttering and downsizing almost always comes first. Once you have decided what you truly need and want to keep, an organizer will help you arrange and store your items in functional, and even attractive ways if that’s important to you.