Redditor Asks How To Deal With Feelings Of Guilt When Decluttering: 'Unnecessary Stress'

If you've ever watched an episode of "Hoarders", you know how attached people can become to their belongings. The thing is, the clutter we keep around us, even if we're not actually hoarders, affects our mental health, causing stress and impacting our productivity. Unfortunately, not only does the mess itself make you worry about the work you need to do to get things neat and organized again, but going through and letting go of your personal belongings (never to see them again) can be nerve-wracking, too. In fact, a Reddit conversation started by PlagueMama, who struggles with the "unnecessary stress" of an overwhelming collection of stuff, discusses that general concern about how to finally deal with clutter and work through the dilemma of getting rid of sentimental or useful items.

So, how do you deal with the feelings of guilt that come along with removing stuff you no longer need or never even used? The original poster mentioned they intended to try the Konmari method of decluttering, which asks whether each item you own brings you joy and says to let go of those that don't. But how does one focus on joy with the lingering element of necessity or a feeling of responsibility to hold onto the item? There are things you need daily (or, at least, occasionally) that may not bring feelings of joy and probably shouldn't be gotten rid of — but for everything else, such as old art or clothing you don't wear, let's look at what you might do to remove those feelings of guilt over letting go of creations, things we've spent money on, and belongings that were gifted to us. It may seem improbable at the moment, but you can get rid of sentimental clutter and keep your sanity.

Redditors point out that letting go of things you no longer use or that don't bring joy to your life doesn't have to be wasteful, because you don't have to throw away those items that are still useful — you can donate or sell them. YouTuber KristiDoingThings chimes in on the conversation, offering reasons we shouldn't feel guilty about decluttering that unused item, stating, "Keeping it doesn't change the past or make you a better person; it just weighs down your present, and it blocks your future."

As the daughter and granddaughter of packrats and hoarders, I have studied a thing or two about "letting go" of clutter. I've read the books and tried all the tricks, and it took a long time to get to a point where I didn't feel guilty about decluttering. One of the best lessons to learn to remove the guilt and stress (which one of the Redditors suggested) is to keep decluttering projects to yourself. My mom would make me feel guilty about getting rid of things she got for me — but if you keep every gift you ever get in life, how much more stress would you have when your home is suddenly piled with useless stuff wall to wall? My take on this: When an item is purchased or gifted to you, its purpose in your life is done if you're not using it after a few months. Let it move on to someone who can enjoy it. For those seeing a daunting task ahead, soft decluttering is a no-fuss way to organize your home — it's intentional and lets you ease into things. By passing on your unused items, you restore their value, letting you feel good instead of guilty.