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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Gynelle Leon

You are what you keep: why we cling to clutter and how to free yourself of it

A composite image of a man's head and shoulders. Above him are a range of floating/falling objects including a hat, vinyl record, shirt and lamp

Most of us have a complicated relationship with our stuff. There’s the endless collection of chargers and wires, the overflowing “everything drawer” in the kitchen, the tote bag of tote bags. Clutter is not a character flaw. It is, more often than not, a conversation your home is having with you about something deeper.

As an integrative therapist, I regularly hear that conversation. Clutter rarely arrives as just a tidying problem. It carries anxiety, grief, identity, shame and transition. Understanding what lies beneath is often the first step to being free of it.

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