'There are only 2 types of clutter. Learning this changed my approach to keeping my home tidy.'

If you've been playing along with me at home, you'll know that my life house is a hot mess.

It's not dirty, but it's untidy. And it's all because I have Way Too Much Stuff.

Yep, I can admit it. I hoard. I keep what I (probably) shouldn't. And I like stuff. But I don't like living amongst piles of it. So I've been on a bit of a home organisation mission lately, scouring the internet for the best home organisation hacks and popular decluttering methods, and testing them all out.

It's been a journey. And along the way I've learnt a lot.

Like the three-second home organisation trick that is perfectly suited to someone who wants a softer, more gentle approach.

And the cheap kitchen storage hack I found and whipped up in approximately five minutes, using items from Target.

Do I have yet to transform my entire home into a minimalist palace? Yes.

Does my kitchen currently look fabulous? Also yes!

Check out the viral kitchen bench hack. Post continues below.

But one thing about me, I get bored really quickly. Which is why, even though I'm basically collecting decluttering methods right now, I'm always on the hunt for more.

And that, friends, is how I stumbled across a little TikTok video that completely shifted my perspective on tidying up.

In the video, home organisation expert and host of the Channel 9 show Space Invaders, Peter Walsh, explains that all clutter falls into two very, very broad categories: 'memory clutter' and 'I might need it one day clutter'.

Honestly, my first thought was, "Nah, no way, there's got to be heaps more than that." And then I heard him out.

Of memory clutter, Walsh explained, "Maybe it's something you inherited, trinkets from a holiday you went on… These items have incredibly strong memories associated with [them]. The fear is, if you let go of these, you will lose the memory, or, worse still, you will dishonour the memory of the person who gave them to you."

Ooft.

A quick mental dive through my stuff told me that I have a LOT of memory clutter — from 21st birthday cards (ahem, 19 years ago), to items of clothing I loved when I was four sizes smaller and don't fit now, but keep because of how much I loved them and enjoyed wearing them. I have mugs that I've kept because they were gifts; friends' kids' drawings that, while sweet, only add to the noise in my home if I'm being totally honest (sorry. But the same can be said for those cards, too!). These items hold meaningful memories, and I've developed an emotional attachment to them.

That realisation alone would've been a ~moment~ in itself, but then Walsh explained the second type of clutter, and I think we can probably all relate:

"The other type of clutter is 'I might need it one day' clutter. This is the stuff you hold on to for a whole lot of imagined futures — those off-cuts of timber in the shed, 'I'll tell you, Mary, I'm going to use it!'"

This one's a little less get-you-in-the-feels, but what really struck me was Walsh's mention of "imagined futures". Those two little words made a big impact. It made me think: What am I really saving these things for, actually? (Which, BTW, is the new question I'm asking myself as I tackle all the cluttered areas of my home.)

I have loads of things I don't get rid of because they're in perfectly good condition; it feels wasteful to get rid of them. A never-used notebook. (Okay, alright — a pile of never-used notebooks.) A bunch of DVDs (honestly, is this tech ever coming back? And if it does, can't I just... get new DVDs?). Clothes that I "might fit into one day" (I won't.) In fact, these are the double whammy — I don't want to let them go because I loved wearing them, AND I hold onto them just in case they become wearable again.

Dang.

So there were quite a few 'aha' moments that came from a very short TikTok clip. But the biggest takeaway for me was when Walsh explained why these two types of clutter are affecting your life.

Are you ready?

"When being trapped in the past, or being preoccupied with the future, is your focus constantly, it stops you doing the most important thing you have to do in life — which is living NOW."

(I think it really deserves italics, don't you?)

That one hit hard. Because living in the present moment has long been touted as part of the key to a calm mind, and a contented life — and when you're surrounded by nothing but memories and maybes, they do nothing but serve as a reminder of what's long gone… and what may never come to pass.

@ryman.healthcare Peter Walsh from @Space Invaders on @Channel 9 talks #decluttering #downsizing #declutter #organize #organization #organisation #inspo #inspirational #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #oprah #spaceinvaderstv ♬ Pieces (Solo Piano Version) - Danilo Stankovic

So for the next move in my decluttering journey, I'm taking Walsh's lesson on types of clutter on board.

As I sort through my wardrobe, my junk drawer, my many, many (many) shoes and bags, I'm identifying whether it's memory clutter, 'what if I need it later' clutter, or the dangerous mix of both. And from there, I'm thinking about why I feel compelled to keep it — and whether that item is holding me in the past, or keeping me fixated on a future that might never eventuate.

It's not a fast process, but understanding why I've kept an item helps me identify why it's okay to keep it — or (hopefully) let it go, and bring me back to life in the present. In my soon-to-be dreamy, clean space.

Read more from Alix Nicholson, Mamamia's Senior Weekend Editor, right here, or follow her on Instagram and TikTok.

Want more decluttering hacks and tricks? Read these next:

'This $42 hack gave me back my kitchen bench space.'

'My house is always a mess. Then I discovered a 3-second decluttering hack.'

'I'm a home organisation expert. Here are 3 decluttering hacks I use that actually work.'

Feature Image: Supplied.