As the tiny house movement evolves and grows in popularity across the globe, the idea of downsizing your things and decluttering your home—whatever its size—is catching on as a trend that doesn’t seem to be slowing its pace. While custom tiny home builders and designers like Movable Roots can create a tiny oasis with stunning storage even in a smaller space, no one is a miracle worker so you will have to let go of some of the piles of things you own in order to go tiny long-term.
Some people struggle more than others in releasing their grip on ‘stuff’. The reasons are miles long but the outcome remains the same: The overwhelm that comes from having too much ‘stuff’ creates anxiety and suffocates, while freeing yourself from the excess of ‘things’ creates room to breathe and the freedom to enjoy life again.
So why do some people still cling to their overstock and how can it benefit them to start letting go?
My ‘Stuff’ Makes Me Feel Better
Whether this reason comes from someone who is eased by retail therapy or from a person who has grown up without much, we have heard this many times. The problem is that there is research that supports that clutter can actually distract from productivity and create feelings of overwhelm for most people. You might think things are clean and actually just be moving your things from one stack in your house to another. Repositioning is not removing. We need to start releasing the excess so we can begin to enjoy the space it creates in our home and in our lives.
I Might Need It Later
This excuse is generally shared by people who were raised reusing and repurposing or those who had to work hard for the things they did have. This created in them the ideal that everything should be held onto in case you find another use for it and the item can be given new life.
While we are big proponents of repurposing beautiful barn wood or furnishings in our custom homes, there comes a time when we need to embrace that some things are better left to the recycling yard to be made into something new and beautiful that won’t likely be
It Belonged to Someone Who Has Passed
We find that this is not only a reason given by older generations, like some may assume. From the young to old, people have a difficult time releasing even the smallest trinkets that someone they loved once owned. A hard lesson we were taught by our children when we downsized is that letting the ‘things’ go does not mean we are giving up the memories associated with them. No one can take those from us.
Many assume that tiny living requires great sacrifice, but once you start to purge your excess stuff, you will quickly begin to realize how freeing it feels to show kindness to others by giving things away and you are left with more space and only the things that bring you true joy. Then, once you’ve hired experts like Movable Roots, they will create a space in your tiny for all of the things that made the cut after you rid yourself of the excess so you could begin to experience a life filled with joy!