Clutter can quickly accumulate in your home if you don’t spend some time each day clearing it out. And there is a lot of stuff that can accumulate, from the mountains of mail piling up on your desk that you want to sort through to the old receipts you kept for no reason to the old clothes in your wardrobe that you haven’t worn in years. It’s easy to ignore it all until it’s too late. Although clearing up clutter can initially feel overwhelming, the results are well worth the effort. Also, the advantages of decluttering your home are numerous. We’ll discuss some of them in the following paragraphs, mainly focusing on the benefits decluttering has for your mental health. Fingers crossed, this will inspire you to get to work and start decluttering!
1: It will give you confidence
Your ability to make quick decisions about what to keep, where to store it, and what to throw away will improve due to decluttering. In other words, organizing your space can boost your confidence and self-efficacy. It will empower you with decision-making and problem-solving skills.
For example, let’s say you’re working on putting aside your winter clothes and decide to minimize your wardrobe. You’ll increase your sense of confidence and efficiency by tossing out the things you don’t or won’t wear anymore. Contrary to that, if you knowingly keep things you know you won’t wear because you’re afraid to throw them out, you’ll feel less confident about yourself. Many people even report feeling bad about being unable to make hard decisions.
2: It can help avoid overstimulation
It’s simple to feel pressured into making unnecessary purchases in a world where social media feeds, phones, and computers are everywhere. However, that tendency is extremely overstimulating for the mind, just like possessing too many goods or trying to “live largely”. Too much unnecessary stuff around the house can cause discomfort and anxiety.
That’s why decluttering is the best way to clear your space and avoid overstimulation. As a result, you’ll also feel like it’s easier to concentrate on work or your hobbies without being constantly distracted by other things.
If you’re approaching an incredibly stressful period, like an exam season or a special work project, you should consider setting up a decluttering schedule. A schedule will help you focus on the important tasks. Especially if you’re wondering how often you should declutter. Furthermore, you’ll keep your house clutter-free, which will help you feel more at ease and more likely to concentrate for longer. Of course, this should be a regular task, but you might only need the schedule when you’re already overwhelmed.
3: You’ll feel more inspired
This one is rather debatable because many creative types enjoy the concept of having a disorganized workspace or studio. But it makes sense that a simple setting would support the creative process and productivity. Dividing your attention between many stimuli (like the painting you’re working on, your cluttered workstation, and your Twitter feed) often results in increased stress and lower creativity and productivity. Of course, this certainly depends on the individual, the type of project you’re working on, as well as how much concentration you require for that project.
Of course, you don’t have to completely get rid of all your excess possessions. Saying goodbye to your stuff is sometimes very hard, especially if you don’t know if you’ll need them again. In that case, you can always put some of your belongings in boxes and store them in your home’s attic or basement. Putting boxes away out of your eyesight will help you clear your headspace, and you don’t have actually to throw things out!
4: It will boost your energy
Fourth on our list of benefits decluttering has for your mental health is the energy boost you get from decluttering. By clearing your space of clutter, you put yourself in a productive frame of mind. You feel more energized and driven to complete different things while in this mood. According to experts, when you complete the relatively simple act of decluttering, you feel a sense of achievement that gives you more energy and encourages you to work toward your goals.
5: It can prevent conflicts
How often have you yelled at someone because you couldn’t find what you’re looking for in your home? Everyone is impacted by clutter when you all share a home, regardless of who created it. Frequently, family relationships can suffer from stress. For this reason, it’s crucial to maintain a clutter-free environment. By regularly cleaning out the clutter, you’ll notice that the stress levels in your home will drop, and the relationships inside the house will improve.
You can even make it into a group activity. If you have kids, including them in decluttering and organizing activities inside the home will help them grow up to be more organized.
6: You’ll sleep better
Do you ever lay in bed and stress out over how disorganized your closet is? Or the laundry on the floor? It’s remarkable that any of us ever get any sleep because there does appear to be a link between untidy rooms and poor sleep. According to a recent sleep study, those who sleep in cluttered environments and are at a high risk of developing hoarding disorder are more likely to experience sleeping difficulties. This includes having trouble sleeping at night and having restless sleep. It’s not a given that everyone with a messy bedroom would end up hoarding, but it’s an intriguing correlation.
Final thoughts
Chaos is stressful. Living in a cluttered home can cause tremendous problems for your mental health. On the other hand, it has been demonstrated that having an organized home can help you unwind and reduce stress. Out of all the benefits decluttering has for your mental health, its impact on your stress levels and ability to relax is unmatched. You’ll feel more at ease and energized by simply walking through the door after a long day to an organized home instead of a messy one.
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