If It Makes You Happy, Then Why Are You so Sad?

Did you sing a bit of the Sheryl Crow song when you saw the title? Well, the chorus will sum up this post nicely.

If it makes you happy
It can't be that bad
If it makes you happy
Then why the hell are you so sad?----Sheryl Crow- If It Makes You Happy

It's time for some minimalism therapy now. Take a look around your home. Think about all the rooms in your home. The bedrooms, living room, kitchen, dining room, etc. No really, think about them for a few minutes. I'll wait.......



Okay, so you've looked around or imagined what your home contains. What feelings are you left with? Are you happy? Overwhelmed? Sad? Proud of what you own?

When you shop are you left with some satisfactory feeling? How do you really, truly feel after you've spent that hard earned money. Is there some regret? If so, then you're not alone. This study shows that, for some, shopping can lead to greater sadness long term. Think about why you go shopping for things other than the necessities for your home. Do you ever go shopping just for a pick-me-up? Is it just to add to your wardrobe because you have "nothing to wear" (even though your closet is full). Or maybe you're spontaneous and you end up doing a lot of compulsive shopping. It's on sale so you buy it or it has caught your eye.

Whatever your motivation for the shopping overload, it appears that having all that clutter is causing us stress. This article lists what all that clutter is doing to you and ways to remove the clutter from your life. It makes sense doesn't it? Are you often going through your day unfocused? Or do you shudder at the thought of someone stopping by unannounced? Is that clutter keeping you from relaxing? Take a day to reflect on the things that are occupying your mind.  Is all that stuff leaving you sad?

It doesn't have to be that way. Consider donating, selling, or trashing the clutter and reclaiming your home and your happiness. You can head over to my Facebook Page and join us for a 30-Day Home-Purging Challenge! Each day we'll have a challenge for you and you'll be on your way to a cleaner, more pleasing home!