Hi, I’m Kate and I own a decluttering and home organising business called A Tidy Mind. I help people who have become stressed by their belongings at home and are living in disorder. It may be that they have too many things and their home has become overwhelming. Or they feel disorganised and keep losing belongings. Others struggle with learning the habits needed to run an organised, tidy home. We also work with clients who want to move house or downsize but are daunted by the idea of going through decades worth of belongings and having a sort out in advance of the move.
I (or one of my team) work one to one with people in their homes, helping them make decisions about what they want to keep. We mindfully donate decluttered items to various local charities and projects and are passionate about steering things away from landfill. We teach clients new routines and habits so home becomes more functional. We also specialise in the link between physical and emotional clutter. We have undertaken mental health and coaching training so that we can help our clients deal with mental clutter too – whether that’s negative thoughts, pointless past times or even toxic people!
So, why do some people struggle with clutter? There are many reasons, but here are some of the most common:
‘Waste Not Want Not’ Attitude
Many people have the “make do and mend” post war mentality ingrained in them. In itself, this isn’t a bad thing. Taking care of belongings saves money and encourages the value and appreciation of them. But the concept can be taken too far. Some hang on to duplicates or possessions which don’t work properly or are no longer to their taste. Ironically, the desire to respect belongings can mean losing track of what you own and it can affect the look and feel of your home.
The Rise of Cheap Retail
Most of us have wandered around cheap retails stores, eyes scanning the shop floor. Perhaps we have then found ourselves reaching for a conveniently positioned large basket to contain all the ‘bargains’ that have ended up tossed over our arm. There can be no denying that people end up with a larger volume of goods because of the low-price tag. And the rise of cheap retail MIXED with a waste not, want not mentality….well that’s a very cluttered combination.
A Big Life Change
A life event such as a bereavement, divorce or health issues can result in home becoming overwhelming. Perhaps due to inheriting a volume of possessions or being less able (physically or emotionally) to keep home tidy and organised. Things can quickly spiral downhill and people may become embarrassed to let others into their homes, resulting in isolation. It can be hard to work with friends and family because they might struggle to be objective or patient.
Clever Marketing
Sellers want us to be happy with our purchase. But very soon afterwards, they want us to be unhappy! They wouldn’t make any money if we were content in the long term. However great a purchase is, there will always be something better, faster, bigger (or smaller) on the horizon. Some products are really just gimmicks and unlikely to be useful but marketing can be very clever and convincing.
A Sign Of Modern Life
A simple explanation for rising levels of possessions might be that these days the population takes for granted entire classes of possessions that didn’t exist in years gone by. Children’s toys tend to be marketed with an end game to ‘collect them all’, electronics come with various add-ons and wires/cables (isn’t it so common to have draws full of these things?). More products have simply been invented. All this contributes to cluttered homes. But do we really need all this stuff? Does it make us as happy as the inventors say it should?
There are many people struggling with their stuff or battling disorder at home – it’s a bit of a hidden problem. But everyone needs and deserves their home to be a peaceful sanctuary and this has a knock-on effect to a calm, content mind too.
I founded A Tidy Mind in order to help people find that calm place in their homes and to pass on their unwanted items to charity to help people most in need.
If you would like to find out more about my services please click here