Clutter is a very common problem among every single apartment resident I have ever encountered. It's perfectly natural, but the bad part is: that it spreads! Before you know it, you have tons of junk that you don't need piling up all over your apartment. We clutch onto these things for dear life for reasons that seem beyond our control.
Are they truly beyond our control? Absolutely not! So why do we hang on to these things and let the clutter build? There are three main reasons:
1. Maybe You'll Need Or Want It One Day
Many of us cling to stuff and let it accumulate for the day we might use it again. I call this "The Plastic Shopping Bag Effect." Just as we hang on to plastic shopping bags that build up in our pantries, we also tend to store books, clothes, CDs, etc., hoping we'll use them again. You have to distance yourself from these things. Let them go. If it doesn't work for you or you don't use it now, toss it or donate these items to someone else who will use them.
2. It Meant So Much To Me
That awesome worn-out T-shirt that your Aunt Ethel gave you when you were twelve shouldn't be collecting dust in your closet. Another huge reason that apartment dwellers let clutter build up is with very sentimental items. If you have items that are near and dear to your heart and you absolutely must keep them, store them in a box or trunk and get rid of the rest. You'll be pleasantly surprised how much clutter you can eliminate and how good you'll feel being clutter-free. Besides, what would Aunt Ethel say if she saw you living in filth and clutter?
3. Stuff Does Not Make The Person
Sometimes clutter builds from all the items that an apartment resident collects to show off their different eclectic sides. Whether it's artsy books, alternative CDs, or obscure cool-looking pieces of junk, remember that all it does is add clutter. The things you own and try to show off don't reveal anything about who you truly are or your character other than possibly being a show-off. So if you never touch it and don't need it, put it in a bag and toss it away! It's as easy as that.
If you follow these tips to help keep yourself and your apartment clutter-free, you'll be smiling in freedom in no time!
