Excuses, Excuses

Peter Walsh's book, It's All Too Much, sites 10 common excuses that keep the clutter in our house. I use several.

Excuse # 1: "I might need it one day." Unfinished sewing projects. Clothes that don't fit - yet. Toys the youngest child might possibly enjoy in a few years. The bed that will go into the guest room when you get a house that has a guest room. Pete reminds us that we can't possibly know that the future holds, so we hold onto a lot of "just in cases". Pete's bottom line: "Clutter stops us from living in the present."

Excuse # 2: "It's too important to let go." This is where sentimental and family history items fall. Pete says that if it's something important enough to keep, we need to honor it by putting it in a place of distinction. If you don't want to honor it, then find it a new home. I had so much artwork that the kids had brought home from school, that I would simply throw into a box. I took Pete's advice, and decided to honor my favorite pieces and toss the rest. I strung clothesline on a wall in the living room, and my favorites are pinned up with clothespins. It gives the room a lot of personality, and I find myself smiling up at the art several times a day. Pete's bottom line: "Clutter makes us forget what's really important."

Excuse # 3: "I can't get rid of it - it's worth a lot of money." This would be brand new stuff you never used. Or expensive items that need repair. Either fix it already, or purge it! But, hey! It cost you good money to buy that stuff you never use. Pete's bottom line: "Clutter robs us of real value."

Excuse # 4: "My house is too small." Yes, I've tried using this excuse many times on my husband, telling him, "We've outgrown this house. It's not big enough for our family." He reminds me that he, his four siblings and his parents lived in a 1,100 square foot house with only one bathroom. We only have as much space as we have. I love the house we're in, so I need to purge down to the size of our house. Pete's bottom line: "Clutter steals our space."

Excuse # 5: "I don't have the time." Boy, don't I know this excuse. Even though I'm having a really hard time finding the time to do this house purge, and even though my kids are playing a little bit more computer games than I'd ideally like so that I can have time for purging, I really see how it is an investment of time that will benefit the whole family in the long run. Pete's bottom line: "Clutter monopolizes our time."

Excuse # 6: "I don't know how it got like this." This would probably be my mom's excuse. She has clutter problems, too, so I come by them honestly. Clutter really has a way of sneaking up on a person who's not actively keeping it at bay. It's simple math, really. If someone is adding to the contents of their house without ever subtracting, they're going to be buried alive in clutter. Pete's bottom line: "Clutter takes over."

Excuse # 7: "It's not a problem - my spouse just thinks it is." This used to be one of my many excuses. I was raised in clutter, so I'm able to tolerate a lot more of it than my husband is. Pete's bottom line: "Clutter jeopardizes our relationships."

Excuse # 8: "It isn't mine." If you are storing stuff for one of your kids who has moved away from home, or for a friend because your basement's bigger, you can relate to this.  If their stuff is so important to them, why is it at your house? Pete's bottom line: "Other people's clutter robs us of opportunities that should be our own."

Excuse # 9: "It's too overwhelming." Amen. Mr. Walsh says that this is the only excuse he has sympathy for. It's true - it can be very overwhelming. That's why I'm taking baby steps with it. I started with my one little closet, and less than a month later I can happily say that the master bedroom's complete. One room down. I'm also so appreciative of the support and advice I've gotten from some readers. It really makes a difference, and distracts me from how overwhelmed I am. Pete's bottom line: "Clutter denies us peace of mind and clutter erodes our spiritual selves."

Excuse # 10: "_______________." Enter your own additional excuse here. I've got several. "I'm too lazy." "It's a collector's item." "My mom bought that for me, and she'd have hurt feelings if I purged it." "That won't be hot on eBay for another nine months, and if I hold onto it until then, I'll make an extra three dollars!"

So, what's your excuse?