As a student, you’ve only got so much physical space to work with. You could be in a tiny dorm room or a house with eight other people, but the fact remains that you won’t room for everything you want to keep. Even a small amount of hoarding is a tendency we can all fall into as we accumulate more and more things. Here are a few helpful ways to overcome hoarding.
Start with the Little Things
Combatting the tendency to hoard doesn’t mean that you need to live a completely spartan lifestyle right off the bat. In fact, getting rid of too much too quickly can lead to feelings of regret and sadness. Start with items that you know are past their useful date and keep the area you’re downsizing to one small area at a time. There’s no need to look at your whole room as another project to be done on top of all your other work.
Be Proactive
The best way to stop hoarding is to never start in the first place. Failing that, by being more aware of the things that you allow into your space, the more you’ll realize how few things you truly need to get by. Give yourself some extra time before you buy that new thing you’ve had your eye on. If, after a few more days, you still actually want it, then go ahead. However, the extra time may just be what you need to see more clearly.
Sell or Donate
Throwing useful items away just because they take up space may not be for you, and not everything belongs in the trash. Selling old items is a fantastic way to make some extra cash while decluttering your living space at the same time. If you’re looking to be a little more humanitarian, old clothes, books, and toys make great items to donate to places like The Purple Heart Pickup organization.
Ask for Help
We can’t always see what’s best for us by ourselves. If your place is starting to overflow with junk, it might be time to enlist some outside aid. Family members and close friends that you trust can be invaluable in helping you decide what you need to keep and what needs to go. Just make sure that whoever you get has your best interest at heart, your dorm mate might not be the way to go with this one.
These tips for overcoming hoarding should help make sure that your place, and your mind, stay free of needless clutter. With all the stress that being a student can bring, your home shouldn’t be a place that adds onto that stress.
