The Emotional Side of Clutter
In the situation where a person is faced with the reality that they are running out of actual space to keep their belongings, one of the first inclinations is to defensiveness. We may even come up with justifications to convince ourselves of the merit in keeping that item, even if it seems silly to own in the first place or if you own one already.
It doesnt seem fair to blame someone for having these feelings toward their belongings; after all, these items symbolize decisions that the owners decided to make at some point. Criticizing someone about past choices can make them defensive.
It was their decision to purchase something with intending on using it later, but then later never comes. While someone coming in saying, "Wow there is a lot of stuff in here! Lets get rid of it, shall we?" could well be a solution to the problem, you may actually be putting them down in their eyes. Who likes to feel judged? Plus, compassion works so much nicer!
That is why it is important not to be too hard on ourselves or other people with problem-areas when we begin an organization project. Forgive yourself of the guilt you may feel and keep moving forward toward a philosophy of focus and compassion for yourself and others.
Brandon Smith - Free Your Space - February 08, 2010
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