{"id":5537,"date":"2018-08-14T14:39:25","date_gmt":"2018-08-14T18:39:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/?p=5537"},"modified":"2021-07-03T19:43:48","modified_gmt":"2021-07-03T23:43:48","slug":"decluttering-myths","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.organizedinteriors.com\/blog\/decluttering-myths\/","title":{"rendered":"Top 7 Decluttering Myths and Misconceptions Debunked"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"decluttering<\/p>\n

There are a lot of decluttering myths about what it takes to live an organized, tidy life.<\/p>\n

The recent popularity of\u00a0Marie Kondo\u2019s\u00a0The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing<\/em> book only seems to have muddied the waters regarding clutter even more.<\/p>\n

The Japanese organization guru presents some radical concepts about decluttering in her book. Most famously, she preaches that any item you own that doesn\u2019t \u201cspark joy\u201d within you should be discarded.<\/p>\n

Well, Kondo\u2019s book was a #1 New York Times Best Seller and is currently being turned into a Netflix series. Surely, she has all the answers when it comes to the best practices to follow related to home organization, right?<\/p>\n

Not necessarily.<\/p>\n

7 decluttering myths debunked<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s more than one way to declutter and get a space organized. Decluttering methods and practices that work for one person aren\u2019t going to work for everybody.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s look at 7 common decluttering myths and the actual truth behind these misconceptions.<\/p>\n

Myth #1: You need to be organized 24\/7<\/strong><\/p>\n

The truth: <\/em>Accumulating clutter (even on a small scale) is an inevitability in life, regardless of how tidy a person you are. Being completely organized all<\/em> the time simply isn\u2019t realistic or practical.<\/p>\n

Sometimes you\u2019ve had a long, stressful day and just need to relax instead of tidying up. That\u2019s okay.<\/p>\n

Give yourself a little leeway and make an effort to tackle your cleaning chores the next day. Your batteries will be recharged and you\u2019ll probably do a better, more efficient job with your organizing tasks.<\/p>\n

The key is find a schedule and routine that allows you to maintain a tidy home without feeling burnt out or burdened by the need to declutter. Impossibly high organization standards will only lead to frustration and disappointment.<\/p>\n

Myth #2: You only need to declutter once in awhile<\/strong><\/p>\n

The truth: <\/em>Decluttering needs to be a regular, ongoing process.<\/p>\n

Investing hours into a major decluttering project will liberate you from the oppressive, chaotic feeling that comes with living in a cluttered home.<\/p>\n

Taking action to curb the clutter is a good first step, but it\u2019s just that \u2013a first step. An annual concentrated decluttering effort just won\u2019t cut it.<\/p>\n

Having a regular decluttering routine is the only way to maintain a consistently tidy home. Try to allocate time to handle this task on a weekly basis. Once per season, devote a little more time to your decluttering and cleaning duties.<\/p>\n

Myth #3: Empty space is a bad thing<\/strong><\/p>\n

The truth: <\/em>Sometimes it\u2019s about what\u2019s not<\/em> there when it comes to the impression a room can make.<\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s the negative connotation of the word \u201cempty\u201d that makes empty space seem like a bad thing.<\/p>\n

Some interior decorators even borrow a term from the world of art and refer to spaces in the home intentionally not occupied by furniture or, say, artwork on the walls as \u201cnegative space\u201d. No wonder the concept gets a bit of a bad rap \u2013 \u201cnegative\u201d is right there in the actual name.<\/p>\n

Decluttering isn\u2019t just about cleaning up and getting rid of junk. It can also be about making a calculated decorating choice to keep a space (or spaces) empty. That serves a couple of purposes.<\/p>\n

First, a less \u201cbusy\u201d space can be calming and not as overwhelming to our brains. Keeping spaces empty also allows other features and items in the room to be accentuated and draw our attention.<\/p>\n

\"decluttering

\u201cClutter\u201d doesn\u2019t just mean stacks of useless junk. It can also refer to filling corners or walls with too many things, like furniture and artwork. This room\u2019s deliberate use of empty space accentuates its table and island.<\/p><\/div>\n

Myth #4: A minimalist lifestyle is the way to go<\/strong><\/p>\n

The truth:\u00a0<\/em>It\u2019s not for everybody.<\/p>\n

One of the more common decluttering myths is that embracing a minimalist lifestyle is the way to go.<\/p>\n

Kondo\u2019s book and numerous media articles telling us to re-examine our consumerist tendencies have caused more and more people to learn to live with far fewer things.<\/p>\n

Drastically downsizing and living in a micro condo, tiny home, or 200 square foot shipping container apartment definitely isn\u2019t everybody\u2019s idea of enjoyable, though.<\/p>\n

Owning more things than you really need doesn\u2019t make you a worse person than someone living a minimalist lifestyle. It\u2019s simply a personal preference.<\/p>\n

Just try not to go overboard with how much you buy until it gets to the point where you\u2019re drowning in clutter. As the saying goes, \u201cOwn your stuff, don\u2019t let your stuff own you\u201d.<\/p>\n

Myth #5: A messy person can\u2019t change their bad organization habits<\/strong><\/p>\n

The truth: <\/em>This is one of the decluttering myths to which we say \u201crubbish\u201d.<\/p>\n

Being well-organized isn\u2019t a trait or characteristic \u2013 it\u2019s a skill. And any skill can be learned and developed over time.\u00a0It all comes down to a person\u2019s willpower and patience to develop that skill.<\/p>\n

Granted, it will definitely be a real challenge to get an older person who\u2019s been untidy their whole life to suddenly make a 180 degree turnaround and become a neat freak.<\/p>\n

Insert any number of expressions here…\u201cyou can\u2019t teach an old dog new tricks\u201d, \u201ca leopard can\u2019t change its spots\u201d, etcetera.<\/p>\n

But you can<\/em> change. Otherwise, expressions such as \u201cif you\u2019re not learning you\u2019re dying\u201d, \u201cif you\u2019re not learning you\u2019re not growing\u201d, and \u201cif you\u2019re not learning you\u2019re not living\u201d (and many other words of wisdom about learning<\/a>) wouldn\u2019t be part of our lexicon.<\/p>\n

Myth #6: Habitually messy people can get organized without some help<\/strong><\/p>\n

The truth: <\/em>There\u2019s a lot of great organization helpers available out there. Take advantage of them, especially if you\u2019re someone who perpetually struggles with staying organized.<\/p>\n

One of the decluttering myths out there is that you can capably keep a tidy home without investing in quality organization and storage systems.<\/p>\n

Sure, it\u2019s possible, but why make it so difficult for yourself?<\/p>\n

There are plenty of amazing products out there like closet organizers<\/a>\u00a0and bed surrounds that are specifically designed to maximize storage space and save you time by making it easier to stay organized.<\/p>\n

These effective tools won\u2019t do all the work for you in terms of staying organized, but they certainly make it a lot easier to do so.<\/p>\n

\"decluttering

Take advantage of the many great products out there (like this custom bed surround) that help you to stay organized with less effort.<\/p><\/div>\n

Myth #7: Living with clutter is manageable\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

The truth:\u00a0<\/em>Yes, one can technically live a disorganized life and just adapt to the clutter that surrounds you. Unfortunately, the longer you don\u2019t deal with your clutter, the more unmanageable your life will become.<\/p>\n

Think of how much time you waste every day searching for things in a home or office that\u2019s not organized.<\/p>\n

One recent survey estimates that the average American spends 2.5 days every year looking for lost items<\/strong>. The average search time spent looking for a single lost item was almost five-and-a-half minutes.<\/p>\n

On top of the wasted time clutter causes, it\u2019s been well-established by medical professionals that having too much clutter can contribute to stress, poor sleeping habits, and other medical issues.<\/p>\n

The best solutions for decluttering<\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t be mislead by the many decluttering myths that are out there. The truth is, everyone needs a hand occasionally when it comes to keeping their life and home organized.<\/p>\n

Organized Interiors is all about helping our clients make space for living, not living around<\/em> the clutter that\u2019s congesting their homes.<\/p>\n

We have effective storage and organization systems for every room in your home, so book a free in-home design consultation<\/a> with us today.<\/p>\n

See also:<\/h4>\n