My room is messy approximately 10 out of the 12 months of the year. So when I actually do decide to clean up my room, it is brought on by an act of God or purely by boredom. But this time, my tidying up had nothing to do with the need for being clean: I wanted to get rid of all the stuff that I felt was tying me down.
I noticed as I was going through my stuff that I would hesitate throwing out stuff, or giving stuff away because I attached some hypothetical value to it. First of all, I'll make it clear that I'm not a bit shopping buff, so I don't have a tone of clothes (in my opinion). So when I'd come across a shirt I only wore once, or maybe never before, I'd rationalize that it would be wasting if I didn't keep it. Or maybe I can keep it for workout clothes, or what if I need this colour at some point? ...All useless limitations I've imposed on my decision-making in order to avoid throwing something out.
I threw out a lot of stuff. Clothes and various knick knacks filled about 5 full clothes store-sized bags. I replaced little porcelain decorative things with pictures of friends and family. It's a lot more personable, and it means more to me. But as I was packing up everything and carrying the bags out of my room, I felt like I could throw out more. What is with getting rid of stuff all at the same time that makes me feel so liberated? To see a little extra space on a shelf to put up more books, or a little more room in a drawer, is actually a really comforting feeling for me. I feel like all the extra materialistic things in my room were kind of suffocating, and I hadn't notice to what degree until I go rid of them. I felt like such a hoarder! But I was really pleased to see everything I could declutter from my life.
So I got kind of curious about what it is that renders getting rid of unimportant possessions that somewhat therapeutic to people. Katherine Gibson from Canadian Living Magazine says that, "If left unchecked, clutter not only poses physical constraints, but it can also pollute mental well-being. [...]Clearing clutter not only liberates your physical space but also evicts emotional clutter."
What Gibson is saying pretty much coincides with what I was talking about earlier. When I think of it, the people I talk about thorough cleaning, or big "give away" days, they feel good about getting rid of stuff because of the amount of stuff suffocates them. It's not only attributing an issue of less space or mobility, but also the mental struggle with it.
I also personally find that a simpler environment to live in reduces the amount of stress I feel. When I'm studying in my room and there are piles of clothes I need to hike over, or books collecting in piles against drawers I need to open, I get frustrated. I feel like I shouldn't put so much effort into feeling calm in my own bedroom, or moving around in it for that matter.
I also noticed I was holding on to broken or way too old things. For example, I kept an old pair of jeans with a massive hole going across the knee. But they fit right! They were comfy! And my mom would give me a disapproving look whenever I'd wear them! But I threw them out. Only after I had I told myself I should look for places around Montreal that take thoroughly damaged clothing, or a jeans-recycling plant type of place. I just looked it up and nothing seemed to come up. I kept stained or faded tshirts, again for the fit and the comfort, but those are gone now too. I feel bad about everything I threw out. I know clothing that isn't organic doesn't disappear quickly. However, I rationalize that I used them to their full use, right?
Finally, with the things I didn't want anymore, I intend on giving them to the Salvation Army. Their mission is to meet human needs and help change the community for the better. It would be a great way to recycle and reuse goods that can still be used. It would provide useful things for people in need. I'm really happy my room is cleaner, and even tried making my bed everyday. It just makes me look forward to resting, it makes me feel comfortable, and it makes me feel neater, or healthier.
Want to know more?
Canadian Living article: http://www.canadianliving.com/health/mind_and_spirit/6_ways_to_clean_up_your_home_life_4.php
Salvation Army's mission statement: http://www.salvationarmy.ca/missionandvalues/
All images are from Google.
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