Part of the reason we have so much stuff in our society, is because we have myths–stories that we believe, either we heard it from someone, we invented it ourselves, or it was wordlessly passed down through generations.
But these myths aren’t truth, and if we can shift our thinking to the truth, life will suddenly get a little easier.
Before I became a minimalist, I remember standing in my living room and glaring at all the surface areas piled with objects. Objects I was sure I needed. Objects I didn’t have time to put away, since I had three young children to look after. Objects that I couldn’t afford to buy new, if I did end up needing them again.
Later, I realized that these excuses were actually myths. Once I changed my thinking, my home has been a joy to live in, easier to keep up with, and no, I haven’t needed anything that I decluttered.
Myth 1: If I limit my wardrobe, people will notice and judge me.
Truth: They might notice, but they won’t notice the lack of variety. Instead, they’ll notice how nicely you dress all the time. The benefit to having a smaller amount of clothing, or a capsule wardrobe, is that everything fits well and generally coordinates, so no matter what you pull out to wear, you look good.
Exception: Given, your mom might hit you with a, “Oh, your favorite shirt again?” But like the sacred text, (The Lizzie McGuire Movie), tells us: being an outfit rememberer is way more pathetic than being an outfit repeater. 💅
Myth 2: If I kept all the dishes done, it would steal all my free time.
Truth: Rinsing a dish and putting it in the dishwasher (or setting aside to hand wash) takes less time when there’s no dishes piled into the sink and allowed to sit for hours. Rinsing a dish makes all the difference in time spent in front of the sink.
If the dishes are allowed to sit with food on them, it dries, sticks, and takes more time and more effort to wash them later. Do it now! Taking a few extra seconds and doing the dishes as you make them will only take minutes–not hours–from your day.
Myth 3: I must keep, sort and file all the papers.
Truth: We don’t need that many physical records. The average person with a standard tax deduction doesn’t need to hold on to physical papers. There is no need to file receipts or keep old bills.
Exceptions: If you own a business, get advice from your accountant on what you need to keep and how to best organize papers and receipts. If you have settled a debt with a company, keep the statement saying that it was paid. If you file for any financial assistance, you may need a couple months of bills, bank statements and pay stubs, and most of those are available to print online.
Myth 4: It’s too much work to put things away.
Truth: It takes more work to walk around things, rearrange, and move them out of the way so you can access the items you actually need/use.
Just put them away.
Picture this: The dryer dings. You have two options.
1. Shove them in a laundry basket to make room for what’s in the washer. Leave the basket there for an undetermined amount of time. Put the clothes back in the dryer later to get the wrinkles out, then MAYBE put them away–but more likely, repeat that cycle.
2. Put the clothes away.
Which option do you think takes less effort?
Myth 5: There is no point in keeping the house picked up. It will just be a mess again shortly.
Truth: When we have a clean and orderly home, our stress levels decrease, which means everyone in the home will be a little bit calmer and there isn’t so much tension around “other people’s messes”.
Putting something away when we are done using it is a great habit to get into, and it’s also good to teach our children to do the same.
When you finish your coffee, put your cup away. When your child is done playing with that toy, have them put it away. All the little things we put away throughout the day make a huge difference in the state of our home.
Myth 6: I’ll do it later.
Truth: If you don’t do it now, it won’t get done. But it will annoy you. When we procrastinate, we still keep a running to-do list in our mind and we can’t truly enjoy ourselves.
Just like getting into the habit of putting something away when you are done using it, get into the habit of taking care of something when you notice it. Most of these jobs take less than five minutes. Take a moment, get something done, and revel in your accomplishment.
Myth 7: I might need this.
Truth: Most of the stuff we keep, we don’t actually need. And often, when we keep something and we actually get to the point where we do need it, we can’t find it and end up borrowing one or purchasing a new one anyway! So why keep it for the “might”?
Myth 8: If I’m going to take them time to do it, I have to do it correctly.
Truth: Doing something is better than doing nothing. Maybe we don’t have time to completely overhaul the living room, but we do have time to get rid of newspapers and magazines, give away unused items, and vacuum the floor. Don’t let perfectionism stop you. It really doesn’t matter how a job gets done, as long as it gets done.
What decluttering myths do you need to let go of?
Up next, read: Can everyone SHUT UP?! 5 Ways To Stop Being Overstimulated
