Crushing the clutterbug

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Lisa van de Geyn

Tanya Bell* is a self-confessed pack rat. Aside from her new husband, two dogs and a cat, the 39-yearold Mississauga, Ont.-based marketing coordinator lives in a small townhouse with a ton of stuff she can’t bear to part with: programs from every concert she’s ever attended, tickets from sporting events that date back to the 70s, her childhood stuffed animals and more than 750 copies of Sports Illustrated magazine. “My husband calls all the stuff in our house a nightmare. I call it somewhat comforting,” Bell admits. “I’ve become so oblivious to it that I don’t even realize how bad it actually is.”

Here’s where things get even messier: a recent study commissioned by the Professional Organizers of Canada found that Bell is just one of the millions of Canadians who lead a cluttered life; 80% of us are disorganized in some way, with most admitting that their home and workspace are in a state of disarray. In addition, 35% of us have tried to make a dent in our messes but have been unsuccessful.

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Sure, clutter is annoying (no one likes looking for missing keys in the morning or closets so jam-packed that stuff explodes every time you open the door), but it can also pose several health problems. Clutterbugs are susceptible to stress, depression, asthma and obesity.

What it is

Got too much stuff lying around? So disorganized that there’s always a mess in your way? If your clutter can’t be defined as circumstantial (for example, your house is untidy because you’ve recently moved), you might be a clutterbug. “These are people who aren’t just a bit disorganized; they don’t understand routines and don’t have time-management skills,” says Vancouver-based professional image organizer Rowena List. “Clutter robs you of time; it can cost a whole lot of money and, depending on how overwhelming it is to you, it can leave you with a heavy feeling in the pit of your stomach.” Hoarding stuff has also been linked to genetics and can run in families, says a British study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

How it's harmful

Clutter can contribute to psychological problems such as depression, social anxiety (clutterbugs are often too embarrassed to entertain at home), low self-esteem, negative self-talk and poor decision-making skills. “At extreme levels, too much clutter can contribute to significant physical health problems too, such as asthma that’s exacerbated by dust,” says Karen Rowa, a Hamilton, Ont.- based psychologist. It can also be associated with high blood pressure, sleeplessness (if you’re up all night searching for important tax documents under piles of paper, for example) and even obesity. “Clutterbugs often have poor time-management skills and make poor decisions, so they’re less likely to exercise and eat healthy,” List says. Pests and rodents in messy homes can also be dangerous, as can objects falling from shelves.

Where hoarding fits in

Large amounts of clutter fall under the hoarding umbrella, says Rowa, as do people who have trouble getting rid of possessions and “resisting the urge to buy, acquire or pick up more clutter.” Vancouver-based professional organizer Heather Knittel adds, “Hoarders assign extremely narrow and specific uses for every item. There is an obsessive quality to their material consumption.”

You could be a hoarder if your living conditions are causing arguments with family, conflicts with landlords or fire hazards. (Last March a Vancouver man died of smoke inhalation when he couldn’t escape his excessively cluttered basement.)

©2010 Jupiterimages Corp.

Tanya Bell decided to start making a dent in her disorganized home in preparation for her spring wedding. “I had a lot of out-of-town guests who were staying at our house and I didn’t want to be embarrassed by all of my things,” she said. So, she dropped four garbage bags full of clothes off at her local Goodwill, and she recycled her Sports Illustrated collection and a few boxes of sports books. “Decluttering made me feel lighter. I sleep better at night knowing there aren’t stacks of paper or books by my bed,” she says. “Decluttering or downsizing comes with very positive emotional benefits,” says Knittel. “People often describe feeling free, unburdened and even happier.” (*Name changed to protect the unorganized.)

How to start conquering clutter

Be objective about your belongings. Knittel coaches her clients to ask four questions: When was the last time I used this? Do I like it? Am I confusing how I feel about this with how I feel about the person who gave it to me? Am I holding onto this because I spent a lot of money on it? This should help you come to terms with what you can part with and what you really want to keep.

• Take the 15-minute challenge. Feel overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your kitchen? List suggests starting small by taking 15 minutes to sort out your spice cabinet, for example. Pull out all the spices you never use, spices that don’t smell right, duplicates, etc., and stay focused on that one task for 15 minutes.

• “Create permanent homes for your belongings,” says Knittel. This will prevent you from buying the same things over and over because you’ll know where to find your belongings.

• “Create a simple organization system and stick with it,” Rowa says.

• Shred paperwork you no longer need. For example, the Canada Revenue Agency says you should keep tax records dating back six years. Purge older documents.

• Apply the “one in/one out” rule. “If you stick to this rule, you will never have bulging cupboards and closets,” Knittel says.

• Knittel advises her clients to keep an empty bag for donations in their closets. “This makes it easier to make an instant decision when you are trying on that dress for the sixth time in the last month and you still decide not to wear it,” she says.

• Trying to lose weight? Don’t buy into the notion that someday you’ll get back into your size 2 jeans from 20 years ago. Tastes change and the truth is you’ll want to celebrate your new look with new clothes — not old jeans that have been hiding away for years.