Is your clutter hidden?

Is your clutter hidden? Are you ready to laugh at yourself?

There’s nothing better than to laugh at yourself when you recognize that you, too, have fallen trap to something you thought you had dealt with already. Such as clutter. 

You prided yourself on the fact that it was no longer an issue. After all, you have nothing left to discard, let go of, or giveaway—all neat, tidy, and organized. Or so you think!

A friend and I laughed at ourselves as we chatted about clutter. We joked about how we had convinced ourselves we didn’t have any and agreed the visible areas in our homes were clear of excess. There was nothing else left to clear.

However, upon further reflection, a reality check set in. Oh my! Yes, indeed, we did have clutter. It just wasn’t visible.

Our conversation on this topic began with the daily steps suggested in – It’s Not Your Money (by Tosha Silver). A book we were both currently reading. An 8-week course in which one of the five daily steps to take each day is to “clear your space,” beginning with your physical environment.

Even after years of teaching and sharing how clutter affects your money, you’d think I’d gotten rid of it all. But I had not. I still had plenty of excess and pockets of clutter.

And then I had an “ah-ha” moment. I hid mine. So neatly organized behind closed doors, in boxes, cabinets, drawers, closets, and other places. I was a master at hiding my excess unused, unloved, and useless stuff. That’s when I began to call those places “hidey-holes!”

How easily I kidded myself. After all, wasn’t I organized? Didn’t I regularly put stuff away? Didn’t I toss or give away all my excess?

I could answer yes, proudly, that I did that indeed. But what about those hidey-holes?

Oh, those? Do those count? Indeed they do.

I began to clear out the hidden places and was shocked at how much had not been used for decades or no longer fit my lifestyle. Such as stacks of tablecloths and napkins. Why was I keeping those when I no longer hosted gatherings or dinner parties?

What about the bedding for a guest bed that no longer existed? A bed we’d gotten rid of ages ago. What use did I have for something that no longer existed? Not to mention the piles of bed linens all worn out and frayed or no longer used!

It was shocking how many hidey-holes existed in my home, from large areas like closets to small ones like a drawer. And how much stuff I had packed into those areas. 

I spent many hours curating, letting go, and reorganizing those hidey-holes. And yet, upon doing the daily steps, Tosha Silver suggested, I was amazed at how many still existed.

That’s what my friend and I discussed – those hidden-away areas. What did she find on her daily “clear your space” excursions? Much like me, it was dresser drawers and clothing closets that held the secrets. 

So, each day she would pick one area and curate it. And, out stuff went.

Funny enough, my hubby and I were doing the same with our dresser drawers and closets. Hangers swung empty in the closet as we curated clothes. Drawers sat empty. And the Goodwill box bulged with all that we let go, along with the bags donated to a special charity my hubby’s Lion’s club supported.

What became of our “clear the space” efforts? One triple dresser now sat empty – Three large drawers and six smaller ones. That’s when I decided to move my clothing into the triple dresser. One small drawer still remains empty.

And, now the tall dresser sits empty.  

What will we do with that empty dresser? We haven’t decided as yet. However, one thing I can assure you – it will remain open.

So, my question for you today is this – Where do you hide your clutter and excess? We all have those hidey-holes packed full of stuff. There’s no shame in admitting that. And, it might just be why you don’t have room to put away everything you own.

Could it be time to take the daily step Tosha suggests? Just pick one area each day and clear that space. Are you ready?

If you need support, guidance, or accountability, maybe you’d like to take advantage of my “clutter to tidy strategy session?” Click here to learn more.