To begin your journey with minimalism, understanding what is considered clutter can speed up your progress towards a simple and junk-free life. Consumerism has been on the rise for many decades, but in more forms than one. Entities all across the world are constantly trying to push their products and ideas onto us, the consumers. From material items to digital content, we are being inundated with stuff. But once we have a firm understanding of the types of clutter to minimize in our lives, we can take firm action towards achieving our goal.
My biggest concern with clutter is that it significantly contributes to stress. And ultimately, stress is a silent killer that also makes day-to-day life feel like a slog to get through. I don’t want that for myself or for anyone around me, including you, my readers.
Let’s examine the different types of clutter along with simple solutions for removing them from our environment.
What Is Considered Clutter? (6 Types)
1. Physical Clutter
The most common form of clutter is physical or material items. They are tangible objects that take up space in our homes. Everything from clothes, books, utensils, furniture, exercise equipment, appliances, decorations, and accessories can easily be considered a form of physical clutter if it takes up space, contributes to untidyness, and doesn’t provide a distinct daily use.
Solution: Sell, donate, or trash unessential, broken, or old belongings that have no space in your home. Avoid buying new items without getting rid of something else. Clean frequently and regularly to prevent the collection of clutter.
Related article: 8 Tips to clear clutter from your home
2. Digital Clutter
Due to the ever-growing need for and reliance on technological devices, digital content can become a form of clutter. Unnecessary emails, subscription services, news stories, unorganized documents, photos and videos, and countless apps can all be considered forms of digital clutter.
Solution: Delete old and unnecessary documents and files. Archive important documents. Develop an email system that streamlines important communications from everything else.
3. Social Clutter
According to DataReportal, the average smartphone user spends 2 hours and 24 minutes per day on social media. During this time, a barrage of text messages, notifications, media content, voice notes, and files can accumulate and contribute to a cluttered digital life. Furthermore, excessive exposure to toxic messaging and a barrage of opinions from people online can have a profoundly negative impact on a person’s emotional and mental wellbeing.
Solution: Avoid people who encourage you to live a chaotic life. Develop clearer boundaries. Limit access to and exposure to social media apps.
Related article: 7 Essential minimalist habits for a balanced lifestyle
4. Time Clutter
Have you ever heard about the toxic side of productivity? In an attempt to maximize the usage of time, some of us are prone to creating a busy schedule instead of a productive one. This can present itself in the form of a cluttered calendar filled with unnecessary meetings, tasks, and activities that drain us of energy and focus, preventing actual progress from reaching our real goals.
Solution: Prioritize tasks that provide the most value for your time. Develop time blocks to promote productivity and focus. Learn how to say no to certain activities, desires, and people.
Related article: Minimalist habits for longevity and anti-aging
5. Information Clutter
Some argue that information clutter is a sub-category of digital clutter, but I like to consider it a separate entity. Most people are hungry for new information and facts, spending a large amount of designated time towards this express purpose. The overconsumption of information from news outlets, video sharing websites like YouTube, and even books can lead to information overload or paralysis by analysis. This is especially true for people who should be results-oriented and need to take action on their goals rather than studying about topics endlessly.
Solution: Unsubscribe from most newsletters. Limit the use of video-sharing websites.Be selective about what you read on a daily basis.
6. Emotional Clutter
A complex and niche form of clutter that pertains to stored emotions within the body. Oftentimes, these are negative emotions stemming from traumatic experiences or disappointments that result in unresolved feelings, baggage, grudges, and deep-seated pain that prevent us from feeling peaceful, liberated, and empowered. An emotionally decluttered body often thrives physically, mentally, hormonally, and spiritually.
Solution: Practice mindfulness, meditation, and prayer on a daily basis to center yourself and gain an understanding of how to process emotions without escaping, expressing, or repressing them.
Related article: How I let go of emotional clutter with mindfulness
In my experience, I was able to declutter my environment, digital space, and body once I built momentum and developed a deeper relationship with the type of life I wanted to live. Take inventory of everything in your life and determine which item, content, person, or emotion empowers you or weighs you down. Then start decluttering your life, one section at a time.
That brings us to the end of this article on the types of clutter to minimize in your life. Please share your thoughts with me in the comment section below, and let’s chat.