Overwhelmed With Too Much Stuff? Here's What To Do!
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Are you overwhelmed with too much stuff? Do you feel like you are drowning in clutter? Worse yet, are you surrounded by stuff you don’t even use or need? It’s easy to do. In fact, the average American owns over 300,000 items in their homes.
YIKES! It’s no secret that most of us have too much stuff! But why do we have this need to constantly strive for more things?
Let’s discuss the “why” and then dive into signs you have too much stuff and how to change it!
Why Do We End Up With Too Much Stuff?
So, what is up with this need to constantly get more things and then end up with way too much stuff? Well, there are a few reasons. The biggest one is society has ingrained in us that we need the latest and greatest of everything.
Think about it, how many new phones come out every year? Look at how there are now “haul videos” of influencers buying THOUSANDS of dollars of stuff.
It’s ridiculous. To me, it is anyway. The quote from the Fight Club has always rang true “We work jobs we hate, to buy crap we don’t need, to impress people we don’t even like.”
Then we end up with a house that is cluttered, filled to the brim with things we don’t even need. The bad thing is, although many think things will make them happier, they usually don’t.
Most of the time, it’s us trying to fill some void. So, how do you know if you have too much stuff? And if you do, how do you break this cycle?
5 Signs You Have Too Much Stuff
Personally, I didn’t even realize how much crap I had. I had kitchen appliances I never used before, clothes that I wanted to fit back into, the whole nine, or should I say ten yards.
You may think you don’t have too much stuff, but here are some tell-tale signs you actually do:
You Spend Tons of Time Tidying Up
How often do you have to tidy up or clean your house? If most of your days off consist of cleaning the house then it’s time to kick some clutter to the curb.
Besides, who feels like cleaning after working all week anyway?
2. Your house is super cluttered
If your counters, shelves, and dining room table are covered in clutter, it’s a big sign you have too much stuff. Even decor can get a bit out of hand if you’re not careful.
Take a look around and see what areas of your home look too cluttered and “busy.”
3. You Lose Things…Constantly
Are you constantly looking for items like your keys, phone, wallet, or purse? This can be a sign you have too much stuff. Don’t feel bad, it happens to all of us!
In fact, people spend over 2 days a year looking for lost items! Just think of all those other fun things you could be doing besides searching for lost items.
4. You Don’t Know Where Anything Is
If you know you own something but have no idea where it is, then that’s a big sign you have way too much stuff.
Many people will go out and buy the exact same item simply because they don’t feel like sorting through things to find the one they have. So between constantly losing items and not being able to locate ones, you need from time to time this can be a sign you have too much stuff.
5. You Feel Anxious About Your Home
Your home is supposed to make you feel relaxed and happy. So if you find yourself feeling anxious and stressed, it’s probably because of all the stuff you have.
Plus, clutter causes anxiety. Also, I know for me I started just trying to block it out because it was just too much to deal with. This is a horrible thing to do, by the way, all it does is make the problem worse.
7 Simple Steps to Stop Having Too Much Stuff!
So, do you have signs of having too much stuff? Don’t feel bad, I’ve been there! (Still getting rid of stuff!)
Now that you know you don’t want all this clutter anymore, take these steps to start making a change:
Visualize Your Dream Home or Surroundings
I’m pretty sure I read this in Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Basically, you need to visualize in your mind what your dream home would look and feel like. Is everything in its proper place?
Do you have a minimalist decor style in your home? What would make you happy? Envision exactly what it is that would make you feel happy and relaxed in your home and start to make it happen with the following steps.
2. Pick the Right Decluttering Method
There are a ton of different decluttering methods out there, but the key is to pick one that is easy for you to follow. Otherwise, you will just get overwhelmed and shut down.
So, here are a few decluttering methods to consider before you start to get rid of your stuff:
4 Box Method
The 4 container decluttering method is fantastic if you have too much stuff! It’s easy to do and makes the process faster. You will have a total of 4 boxes to go through your items: A trash box, a giveaway/sell box, a storage box, and a put-away box. It’s a simple way to knock out clutter easily.
Marie Kondo Method
Marie Kondo has a fascinating way of decluttering. Rather than decluttering room by room, she has you declutter by “categories.” The reason this is a great decluttering method is it shows you exactly how much of each item you really have.
For instance, you start with clothing which is where you gather up all of the clothes in the entire house and put them into piles.
This is an eye-opening method, to say the least. AND Marie has you go through each item and only keep things that “spark joy” in your life.
I love this method because it helps you create a home that is encompassed with happiness.
Time-Limit Method
This method is not for the faint of heart. However, if you are at the end of your rope and sick of having too much stuff, then you should def try the time-limit decluttering method. This is exactly what it sounds like.
You set a timer for, let’s say 30 minutes and you HAVE to get that section or room done within the time frame allotted. So, needless to say, you could get a massive amount done in just a little bit of time!
3. Consider a minimalist lifestyle
If you are overwhelmed with too much stuff then you should consider trying out a minimalist lifestyle! I come from a line of hoarders, so the minimalist lifestyle is fascinating to me. AND something I am trying to attain myself.
The point is this…less is much more. We don’t need a cabinet full of random bowls, cups, clothes, etc. What do you actually use on a daily basis?
I love the guys over at “The Minimalists” because they have quite an unusual way to help you transform your life into minimalism. They tell you to have a packing party. YUP, you pack up your entire house as if you were moving.
Then you take like a month and only unpack items you need. So, if you are cooking and need a specific appliance, you will unpack that item. Whatever is left in boxes…you guessed it! IT GOES!
You don’t have to do this method, but if you have too much stuff and just can’t seem to decide what you need, it’s a great way to help you out.
Minimizing your living will actually maximize your lifestyle. Because you will have less to clean and keep up with and more time to do things you love. So give it a shot, and I bet you will really love it.
4. Figure out your needs
Something that helped me get rid of stuff was thinking about what I truly needed. For instance, if I had to leave immediately for some reason, what would I absolutely have to take with me? What is precious to me, basically—”What do I need to survive?”
Think loved ones, pets, pictures, etc. This exercise really puts things in perspective and helps you figure out what to pitch when you have too much stuff!
5. Calculate time versus stuff
What is your time worth? How many hours a week do you spend cleaning or looking for lost items? What could you do if you had more free time?
Maybe you would perhaps pick up a hobby, spend more time with your loved ones, or maybe start a side hustle. Calculate your time and see if the items are really worth having.
6. Stop following influencers
Influencers are the worst for encouraging the more, more, more mindset! The truth is, most get paid to get you to buy things.
So cut the temptation of seeing all those blingy and shiny things you don’t need and unfollow them. Or replace them with minimalist influencers instead to keep you motivated on your new journey!
7. Have a one in one out rule!
What’s the secret to stopping you from attaining too much stuff? Have a one in one out rule! Or even a one-in-two-out rule. This is when you have to get rid of an item if you buy something new.
So, if you buy a new shirt, then another shirt has to go. This keeps you from building back more things than you need and will keep you from having to have a giant decluttering session all over again. 😀
You can rid your life of too much stuff and live better!
I hope you are feeling motivated and are ready to rid your life of too much stuff. Remember to keep your dream home or surroundings in your mind while decluttering to make the process easier.
Plus, choose a decluttering method that works best for you. Having less means living more. So replace things you don’t need with unforgettable experiences instead!