Why Is Decluttering So Hard? A New Study Explains

KonMari isn’t always easy.

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Sure, after a good binge of Tidying Up With Marie Kondo, it might feel enticing to give your home a deep-clean, but on any ordinary day, it can be difficult finding the motivation to clean up the unnecessary stuff taking up precious real estate in your home. Now, a new poll conducted by home renovation site Porch shows the top excuses why people struggle to declutter.

Surveying 1,000 people across different generations, Porch found that the number one reason why people hold onto things they no longer want or need is that they think they might eventually need them. The survey results also got into more specific details, showing how people feel about clutter and where they keep it. Millennials, for instance, are the generation most ashamed of extra clutter, and that clutter often takes up the most space in attics and closets.

Additional details showed that the clutter belonging to different generations varies as well: Baby Boomers hang onto the most documents, while Gen X struggles to pare down holiday decoration collection, and Millennials horde knickknacks and other decor items. Nearly half of participants—47 percent—discovered an item from 1980 or earlier when last cleaning their home.

The lesson here? Take a close eye at your clutter and consider what you really need. When you put things into perspective, you might just end up getting rid of some physical and emotional baggage.

How to stay organized:

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Rebecca Deczynski

Writer/Editor

Rebecca is most often found digging through troves of vintage treasures, both in-person and online. Ask her to recommend a good book to read or an obscure Instagram account to follow, and you won’t be disappointed.