Piles Everywhere? Decluttering Experts Reveal 4 Signs You're A 'Happy Heaper'
Ingrid Jansen and Lesley Spellman have identified several types of clutter personality – but this, they say, is the most prevalent.
Here’s a question you’ve probably never asked yourself: what’s your clutter personality?
Over the years in their work as professional organisers, Ingrid Jansen and Lesley Spellman, from The Declutter Hub, say they’ve identified several different types of clutter personality.
“What we mean by that is that certain people have common traits when it comes to getting on top of the clutter in their home,” they explain.
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And one of the most prevalent is the ‘happy heaper’.
The what now?
The decluttering experts say the ‘happy heaper’ is “often a deep, sometimes chaotic and possibly neurodivergent thinker”.
“They are likely to have a busy life with multiple people, projects and priorities to think about,” they say. So, basically too many tabs (mentally and physically).
“Because of the busy nature of their life, their home often falls down on the list of priorities,” say the decluttering pros.
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“Whilst other people might think their home is chaotic, they have a sense of knowing where something might be found and it’s often in heaps of things dotted around the home.”
What are the signs of a ‘happy heaper’?
Those heaps are something the happy heaper continually wants to tackle but they’re easily distracted and it doesn’t take much to distract them from the task in hand if something more exciting rears its head. Their heaps are often there as visual reminders. They feel that if they put something away, they will probably forget all about it so they leave stuff out. They may suffer from all-or-nothing thinking. Instead of focusing on smaller, more achievable projects they go all in, bite off more than they can chew, try and do a whole garage in one day, get overwhelmed and give up. Perfectionism often stops them in their tracks too as they don’t embark on doing something unless the conditions are perfect.Ok, I’m a happy heaper – now what?
If you resonate with the above, the experts have shared their advice for how to tackle those piles once and for all:
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Set your big picture goal. Don’t just jump straight in. Take some time to plan your project and think of your big picture vision: ‘I want to have friends over for coffee’, ‘I want to change my dumping ground into an office’, ‘I want to start my days stress-free’ and keep that vision firmly planted in your mind when you’re decluttering. Break it down one drawer or one cupboard at a time. Think of your energy levels, how much time you have and what other tasks might come your way and then allocate a short burst of time. Make sure to declutter when your energy is at your best since it requires repeated decision making. Use a timer to avoid becoming too entrenched in your project. Break your project down into 30 minute chunks of time, and, if you still have energy and are still focused, set your timer again for another 30 minutes. Be sure to continually evaluate your energy levels and make sure you are still on track with your original project. Build up your decluttering muscle. Start with easier, less emotional rooms in your home, like the kitchen, bathroom or linen cupboard. You will still find items that are tricky to let go, but normally these rooms are more straightforward to do, since the items have fewer emotions attached to them. Once your decluttering muscle has started to flex you can move onto more tricky categories like books, paperwork and sentimental items.The experts stress the tips above are valid for anyone about to embark on a decluttering journey, but acknowledge a neurodivergent person might need to approach things differently.
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Tackling clutter if you are neurodivergent
Firstly, the experts urge people to be mindful of the overwhelm of decision-making, as every item you come across when you are decluttering needs a decision.
You’ll have to ask yourself: Do I need it? Do I use it? Do I love it? And those are the easier questions. “Often a decision involves more deep-seated emotions and involves even more energy to make,” they suggest.
For someone who is neurodivergent, these constant decisions can “lead to a feeling of overwhelm and decision fatigue”.
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So it’s crucial to break down the tasks into manageable chunks.
And while you’re at it, it’s also key to acknowledge your strong attachment to things.
“People with ADHD and ASD in particular often attach strong emotions to objects, making it harder to let go,” they add.
“It’s important to analyse these emotions. Why is this item causing such consternation? Am I keeping it out of guilt, aspiration, sentimentality or a myriad of other emotions?”
Lastly, be aware of hyperfocus, which might be a bit of a barrier for a long-lasting change in clutter mindset.
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“If we spend hours and hours on a decluttering project that can lead to burnout,” says the cleaning experts.
“Our memories are strong and we harbour negative associations with decluttering and therefore avoid it going forward. The timer we mentioned above is a great way to stay on track and constantly be able to move out of a hyper focused state.”
Good luck!
Ingrid Jansen and Lesley Spellman host The Declutter Hub Podcast and their new Bloomsbury book Reset Your Home, Unpack Your Emotions And Your Clutter, Step By Step is out Feb 2025.
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