I admit it. I'm a hoarder, a clutter junkie. I can't throw anything away. My cupboards are stuffed with old letters and photos. Wardrobes are bursting with old clothes which don't fit. The spare room is crammed with papers, magazines, more old clothes, shoes and bags. The garage is so full of old furniture there's no space for the car. My possessions overflow on to tabletops, bookshelves, and the floor. But what is all this stuff really? It's junk. Clutter. Rubbish.

I know I'm not alone in finding it hard to let go - most of us have a tendency to hoard, making feeble excuses not to chuck out useless stuff. How many times have you said "I'll get that broken VCR/food processor/lawn-mower fixed", or "I'll wear those trousers when I lose weight", or "Don't throw that magazine away, there's an article in it I want to read". Some families are forced to take the drastic step of moving house because they haven't got enough space for all their possessions.

Clutter takes up so much time which could be better spent. Why do we waste hours trying to shove it all out of sight, or dust it, or maintain it, instead of spending quality time with friends and family, or on a fun hobby or sport? And yet we keep shopping - acquiring more stuff to cram into our homes - and feeding the clutter monster. All the storage solutions in the world aren't enough to control the problem.

The junk needs to go, believes Michelle Passoff, who is an American clutter consultant, and author of Lighten Up! Free Yourself from Clutter. An evangelist for dejunking, Passoff believes sorting and throwing out junk has much deeper benefits than merely empty cupboards, and more room for your new stuff.

Clutter is a hindrance to living life fully, says Passoff. "Cleaning clutter is not only about being neat and tidy. It is about making room for who you are and how glorious life can be, for you to surface from under any mess in life." Although it sounds a little New Age, anyone who has sorted out a chaotic desk or jumbled cutlery drawer knows the sense of satisfaction it brings, and how much easier it makes life. Imagine those feelings multiplied after dejunking every cluttered corner of your home. Going through your junk can be fun, like taking a trip, Passoff says, because as you travel through the clutter, you can "discover who you really are and what you want in life. The discovery can help your communication and relationships with other people".

Feng shui supports the idea of dejunking, points out Dr Oliver J Killeen, a psychologist based in Waterford, as the ancient Chinese believed that energy should flow around the home - and how can that happen if the place is full of clutter?

"People are constantly asking themselves what they should do with their lives: which relationships, which work, which direction," says Passoff. "The truth is that life sends us little messages and signs all the time, in the form of small events or intuitions or conversations. But you have to be alert, open and sensitive to receiving them and we just can't be that when we're living overcrowded lives. Our stuff surrounds us and distracts us from the real purpose of our lives."

Hoarding may be symptomatic of deeper problems, believes Killeen. "Hoarders may have trouble making decisions, and so they endlessly debate the pros and cons of their every choice. By getting rid of clutter, you also free up your inner self to a more spontaneous, confident you."

Uncluttering is almost a spiritual movement in the US. One American fan who consulted Passoff in person, says "My experience with the process of clutter cleaning has been a profound one. Over the years, I have come to associate the disarray in my physical space as an illustration of my `mental clutter'. This tangible manifestation often made me feel ashamed and embarrassed . . . the benefit of actively shaping my `piled paper world' into a more manageable system has been both calming and empowering."

Another born-again-dejunker believes it has helped her find love. "Every time I free myself from more clutter, I'm making way for hope. And it has worked in my own life. I did a massive declutter around New Year, and a week later found my sweetheart." Killeen agrees that dejunking can have a transforming effect: "It can lead to freeing us from unwanted or emotionally draining relationships. As we close a door on emotional clutter, we open a new door to other relationships."

Okay. I'm convinced. My clutter has to go - but it's enough to fill a charity shop. Any offers?

Lighten Up! Free Yourself from Clutter by Michelle Passoff (Harper Perennial, $9.99 in the US)