You may have looked around your home, office, or apartment and wondered how you have collected so much stuff. Clutter is common as we journey through life and accomplish new things, but why are we holding onto so many objects that we often don’t use? We hold on to certain items and clothes because of memories or the feelings they elicit. There is some psychology behind why we hold on to cards, gifts, clothing, furniture, and more. This blog will share a few reasons why humans are attached to physical objects and how it can affect our mental clarity.
Attachment To Identity
Throughout different seasons of life, we become attached to items that have sentimental value. A piece of clothing you wore to college graduation, your baby’s first rattle, a picture from your first home, your first expensive purchase, etc., can all become a part of your identity. As we accomplish things and hit certain milestones, items can remind us of all that we have experienced. Getting rid of these items will be extremely difficult as it will feel like losing a piece of yourself.
Fear Of The Future
Many of us have probably uttered “But what if I need it in the future?” This is the most common reason for holding onto unnecessary items because of a scarcity mindset. Some believe that they won’t be able to replace the item when they need it in the future. Keeping things around ‘just in case’ can lead to a high accumulation of items that have no purpose in your daily life.
While discarding items that still have potential value can be difficult, many of us can benefit from a cleanout. It may feel like a waste of money or materials, but some of these items will never be utilized again. Try donating items to a local charity or thrift store to give them new life.
Sense Of Security
Storing items can be about a sense of control. Many items may provide security for people, especially in times of stress. Blankets, stuffed animals, books, comfy clothing, or photos are some items that could provide a sense of stability in a chaotic world.
In extreme cases, holding onto these items could lead to hoarding. Hoarding is a mental disorder that involves the accumulation of items and the inability to discard them. Hoarding may also stem from other mental health issues like anxiety or depression. Keeping security items is not a form of hoarding, but watching your habits and regulating your emotions will help prevent overconsumption.
Consumerism And Materialism
Our society promotes overconsumption and materialism on almost every platform. Advertisements, social media, and large businesses push us to acquire new things to promote happiness. Owning items can be fun for many people, but material things are never a consistent provider of fulfillment. Having the most expensive items or more material possessions is seen as ‘successful.’ These ideals often lead to us falling victim to overpurchasing and cluttered homes.
The Guilt Of Letting Go
A lot of items that lay around your home are typically kept out of obligation. Someone gifted you something that you don’t use, but you feel impolite getting rid of it. Even though a gift or hand-me-downs are a nice sentiment, we should not feel obligated to keep gifts until the end of time. Valuing your space and selecting items that bring you joy is more important than sparing someone’s (potentially) hurt feelings.
Guilt can cause is to spend more money on organization, storage units, or bigger living spaces to keep all your stuff. We fear loss fairly often in life, which can contribute to pushing items to the back of our mind, but never fully getting rid of them.
The Endowment Effect
The endowment effect is a psychological phenomenon where people give more value to items just because they own them. Owning items makes them extra special to a person and makes it hard to part with them because of this projected value. Those with the endowment effect may have anxiety or regret if they lose an item or donate it.
Limit Home Clutter By Using Self-Storage
Utilizing a storage unit can help limit clutter inside your home without needing to part with too many sentimental items. The process of moving items into a storage unit can be a great time to purge some unneeded belongings. 700 Block Storage offers storage units of all sizes to help homeowners, college students, and seniors who are looking to remove objects from their living spaces. With climate-controlled units, easily accessible facilities, and convenient locations, we are the top choice for Utah residents. Book your unit on our website and get started today!
