When you look at a pile of clutter, what thoughts are you thinking? From this moment on in this article, before you answer that question, I’d like you to imagine yourself doing a task you really enjoy doing. Happily see yourself in that image. Notice that you feel calm and relaxed and happy doing your very favorite thing.

A Technique To Feel No Shame About Clutter

Now, as you feel very happy flying that kite or reading a book or just dancing to your favorite music or whatever, also notice what you are thinking. You are thinking something like, “Wow! This is FUN to do!” The main thing you are thinking is that you LIKE what you are doing.

Now, look at a pile of clutter. Then, say something nice about you. Ignore any thoughts or feelings of shame. You could say something like this:

“I notice a pile of clutter. And what’s good about me is …………”

There, you impersonally described a pile of stuff. AND you said something nice about you. One step at a time, say something respectful and kind about yourself AND something impersonal about the clutter. I’m asking you to declutter your mind of shame thoughts when you see clutter. Will you be willing to do that? If so, act gentle with yourself.

Practice the Technique

All right, here we go. Practice impersonally reporting some clutter you see AND saying something kind about yourself. You might say something like this, “I see a pile of clutter. And I like who I am.”

How do you feel inside when you choose to impersonally express what you see AND say something nice about you? Good?

How It Works

Each human thinks his or her own thoughts. We actually freely think any thought we think. Whatever you are feeling right now, it is because you are first thinking a specific thought. After we think thoughts, we then FEEL some effect in our physical bodies. So, will you choose to think kindly about yourself? If so, you can then feel better inside.

There is actually no benefit to you if you tell yourself to feel shame about working with a clutter situation. Look at your past habit of collecting clutter. Now, think about some progress you’ve enjoyed in a declutter moment. When a person INTENTIONALLY chooses to see PROGRESS, that person feels more inclined to declutter again.

Keep encouraging yourself to declutter. If this was a difficult exercise for you to do, you might consider getting help releasing emotional obstacles through a therapist or hypnotherapist who specializes in clutter and hoarding.