Why Do We Hold Onto Things?

People hold onto things for a variety of emotional, psychological, and practical reasons. The act of holding onto possessions, memories, or even relationships often stems from deep-seated needs or beliefs that vary widely between individuals.

Here are some of them:

1. Emotional Attachment: Some items may have sentimental value or be associated with memories, making them difficult to part with.

2. Potential Use: People often keep things because they believe they might need it later, even if that future never comes.

3. Sunk Cost Fallacy: Time, effort, or money has already been invested in obtaining this item, making it hard to let it go.

4. Aspirational Identity: Sometimes, people buy things that align with the person they wish to be, not who they are. They keep these items as a connection to their ideal persona or lifestyle.

5. Lack of Organization Skills: Without effective organizational systems and strategies, items can accumulate and go unnoticed, making it challenging to sort through and decide what to keep.

Gift guilt, perceived value, fear of waste, decision fatigue, and cultural or family influences, are also on the list. These reasons make decluttering a complex and emotional process. If your goal is to achieve and maintain organization, it is important to address these motives head on, and make some decisions about what items to let go of.

By keeping these items, you prevent someone else from being able to use them. You also do yourself a disservice by leaving your home cluttered and your stress high. Instead, be more conscious about the things you bring into your home, that way, you will reduce waste and also save time and money.