Close the door on clutter.

Housework and day-to-day life in general can be overwhelming. How do you overcome declutter anxiety.

The online world is jam-packed with cleaning and decluttering inspiration, and the promise of “living your best life” the moment your house is perfect is alluring…and stressful.

According to a Junk Hunters, a UK website specialising in decluttering advice, the problem with this extreme focus on “decluttering” is that it ignores some of the basic truths around our relationships with our possessions.

Our possessions are tied to our identity.

It’s only human to see what you have as an expression of who you are. For many people, the bulk of their identity is intrinsically tied to that piece of furniture.  Be it a special clothing item or even the car they drive. While it is important to understand that you are SO much more than what you have, this is a deep-seated pathology that won’t be cured by chucking out the clutter. (This is also not what we at Homemakers specialize in.  So we won’t give you psychological and emotional advice.)

Even our “useless” items may have significant emotional and sentimental value.

That cracked teacup, the moth-eaten jersey and the broken Walkman have no real-world value, but that doesn’t mean its not your most prized possession. There should be no shame in treasuring some sentimental items. Just don’t get caught in the past and end up overwhelmed by your possessions.

It is also normal to feel guilty about getting rid of possessions because of the time or money it cost us to get them in the first place. (You spent three months saving up for that Walkman.  So even though it’s broken, it and its foam-covered crackly headphones are going nowhere.)

It’s just so scary!

The mere physical act of tackling a pile of junk, and not knowing how long it will take to sort it out properly seems daunting.

Decluttering can cause anxiety…and that’s ok.

Taking all of this into account, we want to tell you that it’s ok NOT to be a super declutter-er. We have, however, come up with a less stressful, shamelessly easy way to still get your space looking cleaner, without causing you sleepless nights.

We all know it’s not healthy to sweep issues under the carpet. It’s a dangerous tripping hazard and doesn’t solve anything. However, we see no problem in hiding your clutter for a bit.

Get a dump-basket.

It’s as easy as that. Get yourself a basket, drawer, chest of cupboard and simply plonk your clutter into it. This is especially helpful that last half hour before your houseguests arrive.

No, it’s not a permanent fix, Marie Kondo will frown at you, and you’ll probably not post about it on insta.  But, for a couple of days at a time, it can absolutely save your sanity and give you breathing space to deal with the real live stresses of work, school and a never-ending round of cooking and doing dishes.

Get even more baskets!

Once you have your clutter cornered, you can tackle it a little bit at a time.

Our favourite way of doing this is by getting yet more baskets and designating them for specific things. Once again you don’t have to do all of this in one go, but, for example: Get one basket for stationary, art supplies and kids-crafts. Now, every time you walk past your clutter hiding space, simply pick up one or two visible items that belong in this basket. Piece by piece the clutter pile will shrink.

We like baskets for the following:

• Everyday meds, vitamins and supplements.
• Small toys/socks/kids’ items.
• Electronics and chargers or random cables.
• Cosmetics and toiletries (Living in the very cold, very dry highveld, I personally have one basket just for all my lip balms and hand lotions.)
• Important documents

By employing the “basket and walk-past” method, you’ll be surprised at how quickly that daunting pile of clutter can be dismantled, one item at a time. And while you’re tackling this, the rest of your countertops, dining room tables and living spaces are ready for you to live that much touted “best life”.

Don’t let the decluttering anxiety get you down. Eat your clutter elephant one bite at a time.

Also read our article on how to be in the moment with your home.