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Am I the only one to have a problem with the "decluttering" movement. It is not that I think that clutter is a good thing, but I think that decluttering focuse

by GuB-42 2y ago

Am I the only one to have a problem with the "decluttering" movement. It is not that I think that clutter is a good thing, but I think that decluttering focuses on the wrong side of the problem. That is, the real problem is not with what you are keeping, it is with what you are getting. Otherwise, it just encourages over-consumption. Ok, your decluttered your house, disposing of all your junk, but now what? If you continue buying junk, then clutter will come back, then you will dispose of it, again, just to buy it again later. If you are doing that, you are better off keeping your clutter, at least it will make you think twice before buying some crap. And by the way, I find it particularly ironic that Marie Kondo sells a whole lot of crap on her website, as if the message was "get rid of your stuff so you can put mine in its place". The ideas are not bad, but I'd rather make them about the future rather than about the past. Don't ask yourself "does it spark joy" at home, ask yourself "will it spark joy" when you are shopping. Find the right place for the stuff you intend to buy, not for what you already have.

red369 2y ago
It is a shame that Marie Kondo’s website is selling clutter - I haven’t looked myself, but I believe it. It felt inevitable. From memory, her first famous book did address accumulating possessions quite well. You were supposed to have a location in mind to store everything before you bought it - or even accepting a gift. She also discouraged buying storage boxes - suggesting repurposing instead.
thisislife2 2y ago
Part of the idea of decluttering is that it makes you more aware about your possessions and that changes your consumption habit / buying behaviour because you become more attuned / aware of your mindset behind ownerships of things and how you value it. So you tend to think twice (i.e. properly evaluate) before buying something if you know you are going to throw it away it later. In certain cases, you tend to buy something second-hand rather than new (if it is for short-term use only) not just to save money, but to also reduce waste.

by GuB-42 2y ago

red369 2y ago

It is a shame that Marie Kondo’s website is selling clutter - I haven’t looked myself, but I believe it. It felt inevitable. From memory, her first famous book did address accumulating possessions quite well. You were supposed to have a location in mind to store everything before you bought it - or even accepting a gift. She also discouraged buying storage boxes - suggesting repurposing instead.

thisislife2 2y ago

Part of the idea of decluttering is that it makes you more aware about your possessions and that changes your consumption habit / buying behaviour because you become more attuned / aware of your mindset behind ownerships of things and how you value it. So you tend to think twice (i.e. properly evaluate) before buying something if you know you are going to throw it away it later. In certain cases, you tend to buy something second-hand rather than new (if it is for short-term use only) not just to save money, but to also reduce waste.