10 More Things Creating Clutter in Your Home
Recently, I created a resource with 5 of the most common things that cause clutter in homes. Since many of these can be simple to deal with, I thought I’d do a roundup of some other things I often find when decluttering homes. Just remember that sometimes it’s the thoughts, feelings and beliefs about these items that are getting in the way of clear spaces.
1. Things that need to be returned to other people
You might be surprised by how much of this we find during a decluttering session! To deal with this type of clutter, set up a box near where you come and go from the house. This way, you have a place to put these items while they wait to be returned to their owner.
2. Empty packaging
Empty product boxes, shopping bags, and glass jars are what I call “thieves” of your storage space. They take up room for a just-in-case moment in the future. Remember:
Beautiful, deluxe packaging is part of the marketing process to entice you to buy and validate your purchase.
Just because it could be useful doesn’t mean it will be. It might just be adding to your clutter.
There will always be more boxes and glass jars, so practise an abundance mentality.
Plastic bags perish when stored for too long. Be creative and find other solutions.
If you feel you must keep some, put a limit on the space they can occupy.
3. Gifts that you haven’t loved, used, or needed
Got a gift that missed the mark?
If you’ve done a lap of the calendar and still don’t love that item, it’s okay to let it go.
Action is more helpful than just feeling guilty. Consider how you might handle gifts differently with friends and family, so you have peace instead of clutter.
4. Broken things you’ve been meaning to fix
Now is a good time to have a serious conversation with yourself about whether you’re really going to mend that broken item at the back of the cupboard.
It’s time to make a decision. You could:
Work out what the next step is to get it fixed and do that as soon as practical, OR
Place your hand on your heart and kindly say to yourself, “There is no shame in devoting my time and energy to other things. I choose not to fix this item,” and dispose of it responsibly.
5. Things you’ve been meaning to sell
Items stuck in the limbo of the "to sell" pile are a major source of clutter.
To sell, you need:
Space
Time
Energy
A market for the item
What does this mean for the decision to sell?
No space: It’s hard to photograph and store items before selling, and your home stays cluttered.
No time or energy: The selling process will drain those precious resources.
No market: The item won’t sell.
Shorten the time between deciding to sell and actually listing the item. Set a time and price limit for the sale. If you don’t sell within that time, consider donating it.
I’ve written an in-depth article about that here.
6. Items adult children store at their parents' house
I don’t usually take strong stances, but if you’re over 30 and still storing stuff at your parents' house, you are part of the problem. Be kind, step up, and help your parents out by dealing with your stuff.
If you’re the parent in this scenario, be gentle but honest about the impact their items cause. Set some boundaries and timeframes with your adult children.
7. Moving boxes not unpacked from the last time you moved
Those yet-to-be-unpacked moving boxes are taking up physical space—and mental space too. Life is full, and time and energy are in limited supply, but they won’t unpack themselves. Take a moment to think about how good it will feel when that task is done. Your future self will thank you.
8. Things your friends and family give you when THEY declutter
I call this “Clutter Transfer,” and it helps to know how you’re going to handle it. Here’s one way:
“Thanks for thinking of me, but I’m trying to keep my home uncluttered, so I can’t accept it. I’m sure the charity shop will appreciate it.” What more ideas on how to handle this? Check out this post.
9. The middle aisle at Aldi
You went in for bread and milk and came out with dumbbells, gardening gloves, a frying pan, and next week’s catalogue.
Why is it so tempting?
Scarcity: They cycle through new product ranges weekly, leading to a big dose of FOMO.
Use-ability: They stock products you can easily picture yourself using.
Location: It’s very hard to avoid the middle aisle while you’re shopping for groceries because, well, it’s in the middle.
Sales: The middle aisle also cycles through discounts, getting cheaper and easier to rationalise the purchase.
I’ll admit, the quality is generally reasonable, but if you didn’t plan the purchase, it’s very likely to become clutter and waste. HINT: This applies to any place you go where you’re more likely to succumb to impulse buying.
10. “Going Big” on a new hobby
Instead of getting the whole kit of equipment and supplies for your new passion, try testing it out by investing in the minimum amount of gear. This way, you can see if this is an interest that will stand the test of time.
You could also try picking things up secondhand or borrowing from friends before devoting more money and space to your new hobby.
Phew! I hope you gained some insights and ideas for quick wins on your clutter. Want more ideas for easy decluttering wins?
If it’s got out of hand and you’re overwhelmed Calm Space offers in person decluttering services in Brisbane or online support anywhere.