MORE vs less: Learning from “Coming Clean: A Memoir”

Day 17 – Have is clutter impacting you?

Kimberley Rae Miller grew up in the home of hoarders. Rodents, bugs, broken water pipes, mildew, and holes in the floor lurked beneath massive, ever-growing stacks. Whole rooms were unusable, and the house structure was unsound. I learned about her plight from the audio book Coming Clean: A Memoir written by Kimberly.

It is evident that Kimberley and her parents were impacted by clutter. But you don’t have to be a hoarder or live with a hoarder to be distressed by clutter. Living in a home overflowing with stuff comes at a cost. This is true even if that stuff is expensive, useful, and memorable. Friends have shared some of their costs.

• Cannot find what they are looking for.
• Financial waste because of buying identical items.
• Don’t enjoy guests because the cleanup is exhausting.
• Prohibit spontaneous visits.
• Depression.
• Can’t live in parts of the home or use some of the furniture.

At the very least, too much stuff negatively impacts mental health, motivation, finances, and relationships. Although I am not a hoarder, I was subject to the above costs. And my daughter was subjected to the same costs, even though it wasn’t her clutter.

After I listened to the audio book, Coming Clean, I surveyed my environment. There was a jumble of items on each surface. Containers, drawers, and closets were full of things I didn’t use and didn’t have room for.

Kimberley’s story opened my eyes to what I was doing to myself, my environment, and my relationships, especially with my daughter. This book helped open my eyes.

I am no longer in denial or blind to the evidence of excess and disorganization. Instead of going on a thrift shop binge for more treasures, I went on a sorting binge for more space. Three months later, anyone can come over at any time, and I will open the door. (As a side note, I still have more to declutter, but clutter no longer plagues me.)

Your Turn . . . Do you have clutter? . . . . Is it affecting you, your environment, or your relationships? . . . . What one step will you take today to combat the chaos? . . . . I recommend that you read Coming Clean: A Memoir by Kimberly Rae Miller and other posts in this series, MORE vs less.

Day 17 –  31 Minutes of Decluttering  – 31 minutes in my storage closet is making a slow but steady difference.

Go here for the landing page with all the posts for MORE vs less: 31 Days of Decluttering. #write31days  . . . I am joining 100’s of bloggers who are determined to write every day in October on one topic. To read more about #Write31Days, go here.

Join me in this experiment of MORE vs less. If you’d like, you can join our private Facebook group that is encouraging one another in this task.