Oh My Hoarder! Here’s A Utah Declutter Life Hack

It is time to declutter. Salt Lake just had a big declutter event helping citizens to peel off some of that extra stuff that you really can live without.

This article might be a little deep, so I apologize if it's a little too heady, but this tip has been so helpful that I felt I had to share.

Emotional Connections Allow clutter to Gather

The first question is why we accumulate things we don't need. There are a number or reasons, one is that we become emotionally attached to stuff. It can be something that your kids loved, a memory that has attached to the item and you to give you an emotional connection or even perceived value often generated by the price you paid for it.

Enter the Law of Entropy

There is a law accepted by most of us and science called entropy. It explains how everything naturally heads towards a state of greater disorder or randomness. To oversimplify this, you might say that everything ages. Knowing this can be a great tool in breaking the emotional connection you have with your clutter.

The Magic of Procrastination

The trick is to sort of procrastinate throwing out your clutter. This principle works because the longer you hold onto some items the more entropy can devalue them.

Here is how I put it into action. I have a clever handmade craft that my adorable child has made. I love it and display it for some time. My child grows up a little, her crafting talents improve and the special dims slightly. After a while it shifts from being the center of the room to being something I put on a shelf somewhere. Then comes the time when I need space on that shelf, I pull the item aside, it still has a hold on me emotionally, but I don't need to see it every day, so I stage it. I put it in a box or in a room where it can age. When I come back to it in a while I might ask my child if they want it. If not and I still feel connected to it, I put it somewhere that it can age. Say a storage unit or shed, somewhere where entropy can do her work. Sun damage can be a great ally in this battle.

Read More: A Simple Free Gift For Successful Southern Nevada Spring Cleaning

After some time that item is clearly clutter or even garbage and casting it off is not such an emotional trial.