Too Much Stuff!
HR: So our topic for this conversation is consumerism. I’m not going to bore you with statistics, but it’s no secret that we Americans buy a lot of stuff.
SB: This is something that I’ve been re-evaluating for myself lately.
HR: Do you mean you're going to stop buying shoes? 🙂
SB: Well, from an organizing perspective, one of the challenges is that many of us already have a lot in our homes, but we keep bringing in more stuff through new purchases. If you’re routinely bringing in, but not paring down, what happens?
HR: I guess that’s how you start feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you have. Maybe another part of this cycle is the mood boost that many of us get from shopping. I remember how the Amazon deliveries during the pandemic were pretty much the highlight of our day. But then it becomes a question of “How much is enough?”
SB: I don’t feel like it’s my role to give people advice on how to spend their money, but I can help my clients decide what’s worth keeping. And to align their choices about their stuff with their priorities, values, and goals.
HR: Can you give me an example?
SB: Often people want a system that works better with their lifestyle. Like a system for doing laundry, or keeping up with dishes, or filing documents, or storing their kids’ sports equipment. What I often ask is: “What are the trouble spots in your home?” and that gives me some clues about how I can help them feel less burdened.
HR: That makes sense to me from a psychological perspective. I know that clutter stresses me out.
SB: Yes, when you look around your home and just see visual reminders of all the things you need to take care of everywhere, it takes a lot of mental energy. And when that happens day after day, it’s just exhausting. So every day, it’s like a set of boxes that don’t get checked. When someone pulls into their garage and thinks about how much they hate it, and feels bad for not taking care of it, that takes a toll.
HR: So that’s where there are potential long-term benefits to getting organized.
SB: Exactly. I want to help my clients be at peace in their homes.