I am one of those people who is an avid hoarder. Always have been, and may just always struggle with it. Stuff, stuff and more stuff is the name of my game. And after a while I start to feel like I am drowning in it. This isn’t good.
Being a psychology student at heart, I am infinitely interested in the many ways we can change our mindset. This can happen by being conscious of our thoughts and making a deliberate effort to stop and redirect them, or it can be something as (seemingly) simple as a shift in your environment.
The funny thing with this bad little habit of mine is that I know it needs to be changed. Tonight I resolved to change it… then ended up scouring the internet for interesting trash to read. Hmm, funny that. I managed to tidy up before my best friend came over, but still in a very slapdash way.
Having just come back from Bali, where we stayed in an idyllic villa and had people to help clean up after us, it is a bit of a reality check to be back where I was, and needing to do the same thing, but just not doing it. I know so many people face similar problems every day, not necessarily with tidying their space but perhaps with losing weight, or being on time, or communicating with others. We all have our vices, especially those ones where we are extremely aware of what needs to be changed but are just unwilling to take the necessary steps. It seems to be a problem of our time.
I remember reading a column by Sarah Wilson in Sunday Life magazine about how our physical space can affect our emotional health. Of course, one sign of depression is a level of apathy regarding one’s surroundings, health or hygiene. She wrote about how having too much clutter on the floor pulls us down, and can lead to, stem from or exacerbate depression. Similarly, too much stuff stocked high up in your wardrobe can give you a sense of foreboding, of having something weighing over you. All signs pointed to the cleansing of our physical area leading to the rejuvenation of our mental and spiritual health.
So, what now? I am staring at my dresser, covered with bits of paper, and am going to tackle this first. I will keep you updated – wish me luck!