However; the consumer debt associated with it is the vehicle driving most people to the poorhouse.
Baltimore, MD - February 1, 2007 - Does the average person know there is a relationship between debt and clutter? Perhaps the good news that "National Association Professional Organizers" Get Organized Month in January stresses clearing out the clutter but the deeper meaning is buried behind the element of America's obsession with "aspirational consumption".
According to Rebecca Lang founder and CEO of Clutter Organizers, this recent phenomenon of aspirational consumption can be trace back to the TV generation. Aspiring to be like the character that were portrayed on the screen.
After interviewing thousands of people that call about problems with clutter, Lang said, many were unclear how their consuming habits were actually creating the debt and clutter they were experiencing. What one person sees as a needed item is often well beyond their income level or their needs in just being comfortable. "I know I don't have a spare space left in my home, but I can't refuse such a great deal for a new sofa" was a response from one of the many clients that called in distress about an over filled house, says Lang.
A difficult connection for many disorganized people is to link what "Keeping up with the Jones", oversized homes, and empty wallets have in common. For them, it is merely about the clutter, and not the consumption associated with the clutter.
Perhaps the reasoning behind wanting the item and the impulse to purchase are hard to differentiate for most people, because of the unrelenting media coverage about the latest "new and improved" or "must have" object. Perception is what aspirational consumption is all about. The marketing machine creates an environment that this object of desire, regardless of your income level, is something you must have in order to keep up.
The media's message of consumption is affecting the youngest of children. While showing signs of depression at younger and younger ages, the less fortunate still aspire to have what they see on TV and through other media outlets. Parent's income levels cannot fulfill unrealistic demands of having everything a child sees.
People should learn how to live comfortably within their means and not rely upon credit cards to fulfill the demands of keeping up. Aspiring to spend more time with your family instead of spending money at the mall, will reduce your consumption of material goods, help you control debt and clutter, and even give you a more fulfilling life.
For more information about this study or to speak with author Rebecca Lang, contact ClutterOrganizers.com or at: 800.964.8943
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