A NEW survey has revealed that British people just love to hoard possessions, struggling to let go of items even when they know that they don’t need them and will never use them again.
The survey was conducted by insurance specialist RIAS to mark the start of National Spring Clean Week which kicks off today (Apr 14).
Results from the survey identified that 79% of people have at least one space in their home full of items that they’re fully aware they will never need again.
For 31% of people, that space is a drawer, 28% it is a cupboard and for a shocking 19%, that space is an entire room.
An astounding one in 10 people admitted that they had never had a clear-out of items they do not use or want any longer, but the majority of people, 64%, admitted to having a clearing once a year at most.
Yet, 79% of everyone questioned acknowledged that they were fully aware that they were holding onto items they no longer need, want or use purely for sentimental reasons.
The research also found that when moving home, which is a key opportunity to remove clutter and reappraise current belongings, many people decided to just take their ‘junk’ with them.
In fact, a whopping 55% of people who moved home in the last five years stated that they didn’t clear out any of their possessions when they moved. Once settled into their new home, 79% of people said they realised they had kept items that they shouldn’t have.
Psychologist Dr Elizabeth Forrester said: “People seem to struggle to let go of material things, often citing emotional attachment or sentimental reasons for holding onto unnecessary items.
“It seems to be a subconscious decision to simply hold onto things even though it’s known there’s no need to use for them anymore. Items are kept out of sight and never used, but hold comfort simply in the knowledge that they are there.
“For many people this ‘comfort’ extends from a kitchen drawer to occupying an entire room.”
To put these survey results to the test, RIAS put blogger Louise Parker in touch with Dr Forrester to help her take a less emotional view of possessions she no longer needed or wanted.
Having recently moved home, Louise was not one of the 55% of people who held onto everything through the move, instead opting to clear out a large portion of her unwanted items. However, she realised that she was still clinging onto a lot of her clothing, toiletries and other beauty items unnecessarily.
Louise said: “I was a little nervous about de-cluttering with Liz if I’m honest! I like to think I’m quite a streamlined person, so I really thought that there wouldn’t be anything that I would deem as clutter. However, my wardrobe and drawers that were bursting at the seams were telling a different story, so something really needed to be done!
“Liz’s approach was very simple. After putting all my clothes from my wardrobes and drawers, and secret suitcases filled with further clothes, on the bed, it was as easy as picking up each item one by one and really assessing whether I wanted it or needed it.
“Asking myself whether I actually wore it or if it was too similar to lots of my other clothes was a particularly handy approach. I found that I hadn’t really thought about many of the items of clothes for quite a while, just because I rarely saw them in my packed wardrobe!
“My drawers full of bottles, make-up and skincare were an area that really needed addressing. It was amazing the great feeling I got when I found something in amongst the clutter that I forgot I had.
“It was also really great to rid myself of the little sample sachets and bottles from magazines and make-up counters. Physically seeing the piles of stuff that I was happy to get rid of was quite a shock and that image will really stay with me when I next go into Boots!
“Another thing Liz taught me was to contemplate the amount of things I bring into the house every day, and whether I clear the same amount out. Now when I do choose to buy something new, I’ll be thinking about what I could get rid of to balance it out.”
Dr Forrester said: “Louise made some interesting comments about some of the items she’d struggled to discard. This applied to quite a few cosmetic items which had lain unused and unloved in the drawer
“Attempts to avoid unpleasant, negative feelings is a key reason for not tackling clutter. When Louise came face-to-face with these items, it reminded her of money she had spent on them, so getting rid of them felt wasteful, and led to further feelings of guilt.
“A self-confessed lover of shopping, I asked her about the feeling she experienced when she bought the items. When we shop, we see items that we desire and it often seems as if we will never get over that intense feeling of longing we experience.
In fact, that feeling has too often fizzled out before we’ve even set foot through the door and the item loses its magic. In a similar way, we may fear that the negative thoughts and emotions we get when contemplating getting rid of some unworn or unused purchases won’t go away either.
“By clearing out a significant amount of clutter, such as half-used tubes and bottles, and taking a novel approach to discarding her unwanted purchases, such as passing them onto friends and colleagues or a donation to a favourite charity, Louise had a very different experience.
“She found that, rather than being left with uncomfortable feelings, she got the same familiar buzz she would get when acquiring something new. What’s more, delighting friends with a nearly-new bargain, and being able to give some cash to a good cause, will give her some additional ‘feel good’ experiences.
“So, by having a good clear-out, it is possible to fall in love all over again with some things that have been languishing in the back of cupboards.”
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