How to cut your clutter

An untidy space is a tantrum of the soul – and it’s time to listen to what it is saying to you, a new book says

DRAWERS so full you’re scared to open them. Piles of old paperwork. Heaps of unread books. Clothes you haven’t worn in years . . . Clutter: we all know it when we see it but getting rid of it can turn out to be an impossible task. You might start out with good intentions, trying to attack it room by room, but it’s so easy to get overwhelmed and run out of stamina.

Over the years Kerri Richardson, an American lifestyle designer and coach, has heard all the excuses as she’s helped thousands of clients to ditch old baggage.

The reason decluttering is so hard, she explains, is because it doesn’t only challenge you physically but also psychologically – it’s seldom just a case of grabbing an unused item and deciding to throw it away.

Most of the things you own have a history. There’s a reason you brought them into your home and then held on to them for so long. But the problem is instead of you owning them, they end up owning you.

“If you want a different job, a better relationship, more money, or loving friends, but your life is filled with toxic relationships, boxes of mementos, or stacks and stacks of books, then you’re literally clogging the path,” Kerri says. “Your words aren’t matching your actions.”

But if you do the work and reclaim your space, she adds, you won’t only have a house that’s spick and span, you’ll also clear your head of all the junk that’s been holding you back – the lingering worries, regrets, resentments and disappointments – and create the room you need to welcome new people and things into your life.

In this extract from her new book, What Your Clutter is Trying to Tell You, she explains why stuff accumulates and what to do about it.