The other day my daughter did a bit decluttering without me asking and helping. She threw a lot of things away. It was a bit of a sting and I did a knee jerk way of thinking as to “What was she throwing away? Is it important? Can I reuse it somehow? Will I need it someday?”

At the same time she was decluttering, I was helping my brother fix my vehicle. I needed my thermostat replaced. I was a very quick, easy repair and not an expensive part. I had to go to the store to get more antifreeze, or coolant, to put into my radiator and reservoir. Come to find out I had a leak where my thermostat is. As I drove to the store that got me to thinking about what was being thrown awayhow and why I was feeling the way I was feeling.

As things were being thrown in the dumpster right on top was a stylus that I had been looking for, for about a year, for my old tablet that I had dropped and busted the screen. The screen pretty much shattered and when you turn it on the screen goes crazy and it is hard to see what is going on. Anyway, I picked out the stylus to put back with the broken tablet.

I got to thinking about me pulling that stylus out. “How much does a stylus cost to replace it?” My husband replaced it by buying two, in case I lost one, which I have and I am still looking for it, and it cost about $20- $40 for one. No it is not one that it is made for it, but it is compatible. The one that is made for it costs about 10x’s the compatible one. Why am I keeping the one that goes with the broken tablet. “Can it go with my new tablet?”, I am thinking to myself.

I get to the store, get my stuff, and head back home. I am still thinking about what was tossed and the stylus. Why is it painful. Then I think to myself “You know what, how easily can the stuff that was tossed be replaced? How much would it cost to replace? If it is $20 or less, then let it go. Plus, if you haven’t missed the stuff until now, you are not going to miss it when it is gone because you didn’t even know what or where the stuff was.” With that last thought That eased the pain of letting go. Also, the thought of “How much happier you are going to be when the stuff is gone, the area is clearer, and that is less stuff that you have to deal with later.” I think I need to let my daughter declutter on her own more or just do a little more of less thinking about things and letting go and chucking it out the door.

So the moral of this story is if you have to much stuff that is taking too much of your attention away from the things you love to do or the ones you love to spend time with, you need to declutter and either trash or donate/give away the things you haven’t used in the past 6 months to a year, didn’t know you had it in the first place, love it, like it or want it. If you need help, seek help from a professional to help you declutter. It will be freeing to have a space you can enjoy that is not cluttered, clean, and organized.

Clutter just causes anxiety, depression, and health issues.