The Check I Missed and the Clutter it Cost Me
Declutter Your Environment Immediately
This past week I started decluttering, and I went through some old mail—30% of it was unopened. Tell me why I found a check. Yes, a check. And guess what? It was expired, because there’s a 90-day window to cash it. This check was dated 2023. That’s two whole years ago.
Missing out on opportunities because of laziness? Honestly, it’s disheartening.
Clutter is chaos.
There’s no reason to have old stuff sitting around—overlooked, unattended, collecting dust day by day.
Instead of waiting for March to spring clean, do it every single month. I’ve found the last days of the month work best—it allows you to begin the next one fresh and clear.
If you have clothes you no longer fit, dish sets collecting dust in the cabinets, or cookbooks that no longer align with your way of eating—LET IT GO.
No hand holding. No remorse. That shirt is musty. Throw it away.
Clutter Is a Physical Representation of Complacency
I went down a research rabbit hole because I was curious:
Why do we allow clutter to build up—and keep adding to it—without getting rid of anything?
Here’s what I found about clutter, especially in the U.S.:
Clutter = Emotional Attachment & Avoidance Behavior
People often attach memories, identity, or sentiment to objects, making it emotionally difficult to let go.
Frost & Hartl (1996) created the Saving Inventory-Revised, showing that hoarding and difficulty discarding items often stem from emotional attachment and anxiety about losing part of the self.
Clutter = Decision Fatigue
Clutter is often just the result of delayed decisions.
Too many choices = executive overload = piles.
Baumeister et al. (1998), “Ego Depletion: Is the Active Self a Limited Resource?”
Clutter = Stress
Physical clutter competes for your attention and raises cortisol levels—especially in women.
Princeton Neuroscience Institute (2011): Visual clutter reduces focus
Saxbe & Repetti (2009): Women in cluttered homes had elevated stress hormones
Clutter = Cultural Influence
I wanted to know how clutter specifically affects Americans.
Compared to much of the world, even the U.S. working class has more disposable income and physical space to hold on to more things.
We aren’t the most populous country, yet we generate more garbage per person than anywhere else in the world.
We live in a high-consumption culture:
- Everything is over-packaged
- Recycling policies are outdated
- Trendy products have short lifespans
- Homes are larger, so we store more
The U.S. has more self-storage facilities than Starbucks and McDonald’s combined.
We have a National Donut Day and a National Lipstick Day—it’s time we declare a National Declutter Day, where we clean out the junk, and the next day becomes National Barter Day, where we trade what no longer serves us and recycle the rest.
Scarcity & “What If” Thinking
People keep items out of fear they’ll need them someday—a survival mechanism rooted in scarcity.
Tolin et al. (2008): Research on hoarding and anxiety-related behavior
Clutter as Distraction & Avoidance
Clutter can be a coping mechanism—used to avoid deeper discomforts, decisions, or transitions.
Narrative therapy & cognitive-behavioral models of avoidance behavior; James Pennebaker’s research supports that unexpressed emotion often shows up in physical environments.
5 Clutter-Clearing Habits I’m Adding to My Stack
- No junk space policy.
Not in the junk drawer. Not in the glove compartment.
(Why are there 1,900 napkins in there?!) - Expect checks.
If you expected every piece of mail to be a check, you’d open it. I refuse to miss out again—so that’s my new mindset. - If it doesn’t fit or flatter—let it go.
Don’t wait until the holidays to donate. Someone can use it now. - Spring clean every month.
Last two days of the month. No excuses. - Declare your rejection of scarcity.
Stop saving the “good stuff” for later.
Use the fancy teacup. Wear the outfit. Burn the candle. Serve dinner on the nice plates—even on a random Tuesday.
And while we’re at it—stop waiting for birthdays or holidays to give gifts.
Celebrate every day. That’s how you embody abundance.
It’s never too late to create the kind of environment that feeds your innermost desires.
Your environment is a physical manifestation of your inner world.
If it’s cluttered, start by addressing the external chaos. It will make space for the inner calm to follow.
Everything is connected.
As above, so below.
Nothing under the sun is new.
Energy cannot be created or destroyed—only transferred.
Decluttering is a form of energy transmutation—you’re intentionally moving stagnant energy and making space for the good you’re calling in.
You have the power to take control of your clutter—whatever it means to you.
But at its core, it’s a decision to unbecome what no longer serves you, so you can become the version of you you’ve always dreamed of.
If you need help building trust with yourself, my habit tracker and lifestyle guide 100 Days, One You is a great place to start.
[Click here to grab yours today.]
Peace out. Peace in.
-Spivey J,