This is why you’ll want to declutter your home
The longer you live in a space, the more things you seem to accumulate. Shelves and drawers start overflowing, storage spaces need more space, and it seems like nearly every surface in your home has something on it.
You don’t have to move out to find more room, you just have to buckle down and declutter your spaces beyond simply "cleaning up"
Start slow
You don’t need a professional to help you if you go about decluttering your home slowly, maybe one room or one section at a time. If you haven’t used or worn something for more than one year, you should consider donating it to somewhere that will put your items to better use.
Below, we’re going to review some of the ways decluttering your home is beneficial, even if you can’t see through it yet.
Pass a fire inspection
Cluttered spaces create fire hazards, period. With things piled on top of each other, especially flammable things such as newspapers, documents or wooden furniture, you’re making your home susceptible to increased fire risk.
Make sure you’re recycling newspapers, purging irrelevant documents, flyers or mail, and keeping anything important in a dedicated storage receptacle, like a filing cabinet for easy (non-rummaging) access.
Your home space reflects your headspace
According to Psychology Today, cleaning and organizing your space actually reduces anxiety. When things feel out of order, or cluttered, it can make our minds feel out of place and scattered too. When you cut down and make order out of the clutter, you’re cutting down on the same stress mirrored in your own head.
People with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder who obsessively clean, count and organize things say that behaving in this way relieves stress, making them calmer. Though OCD offers us an extreme example, it helps you see the psychological effects of organization.
Build your self-sufficiency
Showing that you can maintain a clean and stable space creates a sense of both confidence and competence. Cleaning accesses your personal decision-making and problem-solving skills.
Can you make X number of objects fit into Y amount of space? This will require confident, quick and responsible decisions on your side. Some call this adulting.
Make cleaning up a breeze
The future you will thank you for taking annual or bi-annual steps to cut down on the clutter in your home. Suddenly, cleaning is so much easier when you don’t have to pile or move things in order to access a dusty space.
Next thing you know, you’re inviting friends and family over all the time because your space is no longer an eye-sore.
Decluttering also helps you find things easier when you have designated spots for your stuff. Ever find yourself running late because you can’t find your keys? You could've sworn you left them...
Increase safety in your home
If anyone in your family has mobility issues or allergies, clutter can actually pose a health risk.
Decluttering makes your space safe and inviting for these types of guests, and even more so for members of your family already affected.
Take control of your home
Overall, decluttering only has a positive effect on you and your home.
Yes, it takes some work and commitment to not let things slide for too long, but making cleaning, organizing and throwing away or donating a regular practice will create commendable habits to take you into the future.
Start with an organizational plan, then buy a couple storage bins at a time once you’ve figured out your plan of attack. It’ll all pay off in the end, and you’ll be on your way to living a life free of stuff and full of space to breathe!