{"id":7343,"date":"2019-07-06T06:40:56","date_gmt":"2019-07-06T06:40:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=7343"},"modified":"2021-06-15T14:29:22","modified_gmt":"2021-06-15T14:29:22","slug":"20-effective-tips-to-control-chaos-and-stop-hoarding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/20-effective-tips-to-control-chaos-and-stop-hoarding\/","title":{"rendered":"20 Effective Tips to Control Chaos and Stop Hoarding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Hoarding is one of those problems that many people don\u2019t give the amount of attention it deserves. That\u2019s because it can seem at first as though this is something of an \u2018amusing character quirk\u2019. Or perhaps a \u2018slight nuisance\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We all know someone who hoards, and for the most part, we tease them about it in a fun and light-hearted manner. In fact, though, hoarding can be an extremely serious problem if it is allowed to spiral out of control, and in some cases might even be serious enough to ruin your life. This is a form of OCD \u2013 a serious mental health issue that will in most cases develop and worsen with time. Eventually, you can end up living in a space so untidy that it is dangerously unhygienic, or that you struggle to make your way to the bathroom!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And even if it never gets that bad, hoarding can make you disorganized, lead to trouble (losing things, not paying bills etc.) and prevent you from enjoying the space that you live in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, there are some simple things you can do to control hoarding. In this post, we\u2019ll take a look at 8 of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1 Have a Big Clear Out<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This might seem fairly obvious, but one of the best ways to get hoarding <\/a>under control is to start with a big, serious clear-out. That means that you\u2019re going to go through all your possessions and get rid of as much as you can. This might be difficult at first, but it will also help to \u2018jump-start\u2019 your de-cluttering process so that you have a good starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the same time, clearing everything out in one go can help you to come to terms with this new approach to your possessions. It\u2019s a little like tearing a plaster off all in one go \u2013 get it over and done with!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another tip when doing this big clear out is to first get everything out and place it on your bed or another surface. This way, you can see the true scope of the problem. In many cases, that is enough to shock you into action!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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2 Have You Used It Recently?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is a simple rule of thumb when deciding what to keep and what to throw out: have you used it recently?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or more precisely: when did you last use it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you used your product in the last few months, then fair enough. But if you have a box of items that you haven\u2019t looked into for years, then chances are that you can get rid of those items and you won\u2019t miss them. Of course, remove anything that is of sentimental <\/a>or monetary value first. But the rest? You can throw it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This can be difficult for many people who imagine that at some point they will find themselves needing it. But the point is that when that happens, you can always borrow or purchase a similar item anyway!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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3 One-In, One-Out<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another \u2018rule\u2019 you can make, is the \u2018one in, one out\u2019 rule. That means that each time you buy something new, you have to get rid of something old. This is a good system because it means that you will never increase the amount of clutter you own beyond what you currently have.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One-in, one-out is an easy way to keep your items in a kind of balance<\/a>, and it can also be useful to help curb spending and other issues (hoarding actually correlates with a number of other impulse-control issues, so this might actually be pertinent). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re next in the store looking at something and deciding if you want it, first decide on what you\u2019re going to get rid of first. If you can\u2019t think of anything, then you don\u2019t buy that item. Simple!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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4 Create Systems<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Having systems in place to help you keep things organized and tidy is another important tip if you want your home to become clutter-free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The problem is that most of us don\u2019t have a lot of spare time (or energy) for cleaning <\/a>and organizing. And most homes have \u2018bottlenecks\u2019. These are the points at which your clutter gets stuck and piles up \u2013 because you can\u2019t do anything about it quickly and easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An example might be your washing up \u2013 you might see stacks of dirty plates build up. Maybe it\u2019s your paperwork that you find collects. Whatever the case, there will be sticking points. The job of a good system is to remove those sticking points, so that everything moves from one neat stage to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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5 Go Digital<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

One way to reduce clutter without necessarily reducing your capacity to enjoy media and entertainment is to go digital<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re someone who has collected DVDs or CDs for a long time, then you probably have countless films filling up your shelves. By downloading those same films, or signing up for streaming services, you\u2019ll be able to get access to that entertainment whenever you want, with nothing taking up space in your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another option is to remove the disks from the boxes, which similarly reduces the clutter!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, going digital with your documents can also help a lot. If your bank provides this as an option, then stop getting those paper statements!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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6 Try CBT<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

CBT is cognitive behavioral therapy<\/a>, which is a form of psychotherapeutic intervention. That is to say, that CBT helps to treat mental health disorders, and to help patients overcome such things as anxiety disorders, phobias, obsessive disorders, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The way this works is by teaching the sufferer to understand the contents of their own thoughts better and to find ways to control them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you are stressing about throwing out even small items, then chances are that there is some underlying \u2018logic\u2019 that is causing this behavior. You might be thinking about all the things you could use that item for, or maybe you\u2019re thinking about just how sad the person who gave it to you would be if they knew you\u2019d thrown it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Using CBT, you will challenge these thoughts. Would they really be sad? Do you give any thought to the gifts you gave people two years ago?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Likewise, will they ever know? In which case, does it matter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as for the possibility of needing it: which is more convenient, being able to use an item once in five years, or being able to reduce your clutter?<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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7 Get a Cleaner<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re trying to declutter and to stop hoarding but you just can\u2019t make a dent in it, then you might need a little professional help. Of course, the job of a cleaner is not to help you throw out your belongings!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But with that said, a cleaner will help you to make your home cleaner, which will make you more inclined to want to keep it tidy. Not only that, but they can help you to introduce new systems, and they can save you a lot of time so that you can better focus on keeping everything else running smoothly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This might seem like an extravagance, but ultimately you are paying for a cleaner <\/a>home and more time to spend doing things you love. These are both extremely worth spending a little money on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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8 Invest in Storage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Finally, if you REALLY can\u2019t part with anything, then investing in storage might be your only remaining option. Essentially, this means that you will be spending money on a unit somewhere that you can keep all your items. Failing that, you could try adding a loft space or a garage to your own home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whichever the case, you\u2019ll find that doing this helps you to remove a lot of the things that are cluttering your home, without having to panic <\/a>about losing them. You might find that you don\u2019t enter your storage unit for years \u2013 and it\u2019s a waste of money sure. But if you absolutely can\u2019t get rid of those items, then it\u2019s worth it just so you can enjoy some space and some peace in your home!
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