When we struggle with clutter, it is common that we have well-meaning friends and family who see us struggling and naturally want to help us clear our clutter.

Friends, family and even the authorities often try to persuade us to deal with our clutter when we’re simply not ready, because they don’t understand that our clutter challenge isn’t simply about the ‘stuff’. It’s related to a multitude of factor such as our mindset, emotions and motivations.

Here are seven key reasons why someone will never be able to ‘persuade’ us to deal with our clutter unless we’re open to stepping outside of our comfort zone and into the unfamiliar and uncomfortable learning and change zone. 

1. Lack of Self-Awareness

A lack of self-awareness is one of the main reasons people resist dealing with their clutter challenge. People may not recognise, acknowledge, or be in denial about many things, including:

• How they manage their time
• Clearing their clutter Forever requires change
• Clearing their clutter requires them to prioiritse their time to ‘Do the Doing’
• WHY they have their clutter challenge
• That clearing the physical clutter isn’t the only thing they need to deal with
• How much clutter they have
• Exactly what it will take to clear it.

It’s because of this lack of self-awareness that many people believe that all they need to do is ‘find’ more time or pay someone to help them for a day or two.

Without this crucial self-awareness, they are unlikely to see the need for change. As a result, any attempts to persuade them can be taken as inappropriate, unnecessary or intrusive. It is essential for people to reach a certain level of self-awareness before they accept external advice or intervention.

2. Fear of Change

Change is uncomfortable and for many, even frightening. The fear of the unknown and the potential discomfort associated with change can lead to self- sabotage. When you try to persuade someone to face their clutter challenge, you are asking them to step outside their comfort zone into the unfamiliar and uncomfortable learning and change zone. The fear of the change that will result can cause them to resist even the most well-intentioned advice, clinging to familiar patterns and behaviours that lead to self-sabotage, despite the many benefits to them of clearing their clutter Forever.

3. Lack of Trust

Trust is a fundamental part of persuasion. If people don’t trust the person, the help or the advice, they are unlikely to take it or follow it. Trust in the Journey is a challenge for most people because it’s so very different to every other type of help out there. The TV and internet are flooded with ‘experts’ who come to your home to help you have a blitz, which creates a certain amount of trust in that approach, even though the evidence shows it doesn’t work and isn’t sustainable. Many people who try the TV and ‘expert’ blitz method and fail, mistakenly conclude the problem must be them – not the method.

The best way to build trust in the unfamiliar Journey is through meeting others who are on their Journey and succeeding.

4. Perceived Lack of Control

People are more likely to take action on advice when they feel a sense of control over the situation. When people experience the TV approach of dealing with clutter, where the ‘expert’ comes to your home and takes control of your clutter, they soon understand the Journey triggers less overwhelm and anxiety because they are able to control the speed of their Journey, manage their overwhelm, learn how to make the right decision for themselves, take as long as they need to make decisions, and take small, manageable steps toward their Clutter Free Best Life. For some on their Journey the need to take responsibility and control of their time is in itself overwhelming and they too get stuck or give up.

5. Emotional Investment

Emotions play a significant role in deciding to deal with your clutter challenge. People often have deep emotional investments in their clutter that have only grown deeper and stronger as the years have passed. These emotions can create a powerful resistance to change which, coupled with the coping mechanisms that someone develops to maintain the Status Quo and provide them with a sense of security with their clutter, means that they are resistant to persuasion to even just try a different approach.

Persuading people to let go of these emotional attachments quickly and start changing their coping mechanisms which, at some level, have worked for them for years or decades cannot be done fast. It involves facing and exploring WHY they have their clutter and struggle to let go.

6. Cognitive Dissonance

Cognitive dissonance occurs when people experience a conflict between their beliefs and behaviours. When confronted with information or advice that contradicts their current beliefs, people may experience discomfort and resistance. This psychological phenomenon can make it challenging to persuade someone to just try dealing with their clutter by simply by starting their Journey, even when they are gradually introduced to new knowledge and understanding that will enable them to successfully clear their clutter Forever.

7. Insufficient Motivation

Just because someone says they want to clear their clutter doesn’t mean they will accept help and prioritise their time to turn that into a reality. Understanding what truly motivates someone is an important way to help someone face their fears, step into the learning and change zone, build the trust, take responsibility for their clutter and their time, explore and understand their WHY, and upgrade their beliefs to fit with their present. The best way to do this is to focus on their Goal – their Clutter Free and Future Best Life.

You can clear your clutter fast, or you can clear your clutter forever, but you can’t clear your clutter forever, fast.

To find out how Clare can help you clear your clutter Forever, without the need for an expensive home visit, click here now: https://www.clutterclearing.net/clares-help-centre/