It Doesn't End with Just Throwing Things Away — What True Tidying Is

When you think about decluttering, you notice something.
That is the fact that "there are people who cannot tidy up even if they throw things away."

Even though you should have reduced unnecessary items, you find it cluttered again before you know it.
The room has become more spacious, but for some reason, life hasn't changed.

Actually, decluttering and tidying up are similar but different.
If decluttering is a "technique for reducing," then tidying up is a "technique for organizing."

And what changes your life might not be the act of throwing things away itself, but the stage of "organizing" that follows.

<Chapter 1> What is Tidying Up — Organizing Things and Organizing the Mind

Many people think that tidying up means "putting things away."

Of course, that is also a part of tidying up.
However, true tidying up has a broader meaning.

Tidying up is"placing necessary items in necessary places, removing unnecessary items, and creating a state that is easy to use".

For example, let's consider a cluttered desk.
If you shove documents and stationery into a drawer, it looks clean at first glance.
However, if you don't know where things are, it cannot be said that it is truly tidied up.

Tidying up is not about making things look neat, but about creating an environment that is easy to live in.

Furthermore, tidying up also has a psychological aspect.
We seem to own things, but in reality, we entrust our emotions to them.

Mementos.
Books read long ago.
Clothes you no longer wear but cannot throw away.

They are filled with past memories and emotions.
That is why tidying up is not just simple organization.
It is also the work of organizing the past, arranging the present, and creating space for the future.

<Chapter 2> Why People Cannot Tidy Up

Many people understand the importance of tidying up.
Even so, there are not a few people who cannot easily take action.

Some people think the reason they cannot tidy up is simply a "personality problem."
However, in reality, it is not that simple.

You cannot throw things away even though you know they are unnecessary.
You put it off even when you think you should tidy up.
Even after you clean it once, you find it back to how it was before you know it.
These experiences are common to many people.

There are cases where psychological mechanisms that we ourselves are not aware of are involved.

Why can't people let go of things?
Why do we repeat the state of being cluttered?

Hidden in the background is a human-like psychology that everyone possesses.

<Chapter 3> Benefits and Surprising Disadvantages of Tidying Up

There are many benefits to tidying up.

First, the most obvious one isthat you spend less time looking for things.

The time spent looking for keys, documents, chargers, etc., adds up to more than you can imagine.
In a tidied environment, such wasted time is greatly reduced.

Also,changes in your feelingswill appear.

When a room is organized, your heart also feels somewhat lighter.
There are not a few people who feel as if their minds have been organized.
Concentration increases, and work or study may become more efficient.

Furthermore, because you become able to grasp what you own,it becomes easier to reduce wasteful shopping.

On the other hand, there are disadvantages to tidying up.

That is thatit requires more energy than you think.

Facing things is also facing yourself.
There will be moments when you have to face past memories and lingering attachments.
Also, if you live with family, differences in values may surface.

Even so, the reason many people feel "I'm glad I did it" after tidying up is likely because they realize the value beyond that.

<Chapter 4> Tidying Up Becomes an Entrance to Organizing Your Life

The effects of tidying up do not stop within the room.
This is because tidying up is a series of choices.

What to keep.
What to let go of.
What to prioritize.

By repeating these judgments, you can see what you value.
This also applies to life itself.

Every day, we repeat choices such as what to do,
what not to do,
who to associate with,
and where to spend our time.
People who are good at tidying up are not necessarily people who are good at storage.

Rather, they are people who have the power to discern what is truly necessary for themselves.
That is why tidying up is not just a household chore, but also an act of organizing your own values.

<Chapter 5> Will You Save Money If You Tidy Up?

"If you tidy up, you will save money."
There are people who have heard such things.

Of course, your income will not suddenly increase just because you tidied up.
However, there is certainly a relationship between tidying up and money.

When a room is organized, it becomes easier to grasp what you have.
Then, you will buy the same things repeatedly less often.

Also, you will acquire the habit of thinking about whether it is truly a necessary item.
As a result, wasteful spending may decrease.

Furthermore, the time and peace of mind created by tidying up can have a positive influence on work, learning, and human relationships.

In other words, tidying up does not directly create money, but it creates a good cycle as a result by improving the quality of your entire life.

And that change is not something that happens only to special people.

<Afterword>

Tidying up might be more about reviewing your own life than organizing things.

What to keep and what to let go of.
What to value and what to prioritize.

The accumulation of those choices shapes our lives.
That is why tidying up is not just a problem of the room.

It is connected to how you spend your time, how you spend your money, and how you associate with people.

If your room is a little cluttered right now, don't worry.
What is important is not to aim for a perfect state, but to create an environment that is comfortable for you little by little.

And if you feel "Why can't I tidy up?", the reason might not be just a personality problem.

Also, there may be people who have the question "How can I continue to tidy up without rebounding?"

I would like to delve deeper into those in another article from the perspectives of psychology and habituation.

Tidying up is not the goal.
It is the starting line for creating a better life.

Thank you for reading.
I would be happy if you could like, follow, or tip.
I look forward to your continued support.

#TriedIt