Clutter & Choice

Shopping isn't described as 'retail therapy' for nothing. Every time we buy, our brains release endorphins & dopamine and this 'rush' can become addictive. We can get into a cycle of chasing the next thing, the next solution and that holy grail product which seems to constantly elude us. We are sold to constantly, through aggressive targeted advertising based on our habits - but more surreptitiously through social media influencers who we grow to (rightly sometimes) respect the opinion of. We buy when we're happy, sad and every emotion in between - sometimes for necessity, or to fill a physical or emotional void.

In his 2004 book, 'The Paradox of Choice - Why More is Less', American psychologist Barry Schwartz explores the idea that endless choice is actually making our lives more difficult - “Learning to choose is hard. Learning to choose well is harder. And learning to choose well in a world of unlimited possibilities is harder still, perhaps too hard.” ​Years ago, there was largely just one type of everything - if you needed it, you got it. Now we are presented with exhaustive choices for everything from toilet roll down to a bag of flour. All of these options take work to decipher & amongst other issues have left us as a generation less content & with serious 'decision fatigue'! When presented with a shop which offers this extortionate level of choice, we often describe it as 'like a jumble sale' and find it totally off-putting. Why then do we seek out this same impossible task online, of sifting through swathes of stuff you don't want to find the one thing you might?

This theory extends undoubtedly to the contents of our homes. According to studies, most people only wear 20% of the clothes they own. If, every time we are choosing what to wear, we are confronted with a wardrobe full of clothes that don't suit us, don't suit our lifestyle, don't fit or we simply don't like - it's no surprise that we have a wardrobe full but nothing to wear! All of this clutter which is taking up our mental & physical space is driving us to solve the problem by buying the 'best' thing - when really less is best. “Choose less and feel better.” - Barry Schwartz; Less means clarity, less choice & greater value in what we do keep. Ironically - decluttering, organising and cleaning in general releases the same feel-good endorphins as shopping, along with the dopamine release from completing a task. The feeling of a calm, ordered home has huge mental health benefits, boosts self esteem and reduces so many stress factors that they are impossible to list. Take children as an example - we have all witnessed how, on Christmas Day when they are supposed to be happy with 'all the presents', we can often find the opposite. They can become totally overwhelmed (often seeming ungrateful). We may also find that generally the more toys they have, the less they play - as they simply can't choose.

The visual noise of clutter, the constant feeling that it needs to be addressed makes our homes difficult to clean, maintain and live in! Decluttering can be difficult, but is so therapeutic. Unlike retail therapy, decluttering has a positive outcome which lasts! The benefits & feeling of comfort when our home is calm and sorted are worth the dedication. If we invest time in decluttering, and commit to keeping the space we have created for ourselves it can be transformative in every area of our lives. We will feel more in control, less stressed, more productive and less drained by 'too much choice'.