How Clutter Is Affecting Your Health and Well-being

If you are like most of us humans, you must be bothered by clutter just as much as you contribute to it. It is a reality of our lives. Store flyers abound in special offers, the two garage sales you walked by this last weekend had some things you’ve always wanted — what where they again? —  and your best friend got a new floor lamp so “Would you like this one?” and because life is too busy to stop and think about what you really need, wants and haves get it their way.

Decluttering is no longer an interior decoration issue. It has become a health and well-being issue. In other words, declutter your living space if you want to be healthy and well.

How clutter affects you and your family:

1. It keeps dust around you and your family for longer. Dust nowadays is no longer dust and dust bunnies are no longer cute or representative of a carefree, bohemian lifestyle. The dust in your home contains dust mite droppings, skin cells, flame retardants that come into the house with your furniture, carpeting and even clothing, bisphenol A, traces of pesticides and other toxins that you bring in with your shoes. The sooner you clean it up, the better your health.
2. It prevents you from making the best of your time because your focus and mood are affected. You see things piled up, you struggle to take your mind off but they are there. People who have clutter-free homes have better moods. Yep, they studied this one too.
3. It takes away time from what it matters. Think about it: all that time you spend putting away the free-floating items (yet again) can be spent on doing something you actually enjoy like reading, by yourself or with your children, or going outside for a good walk or run. In case you work from home, clutter can really decrease your productivity.

What to do?

The old question “How do you eat an elephant?” applies here as well. The answer is: bite by bite.

1. Tackle one room at a time. No need to finish the job in one day. Start small. Be merciless. Sentimental value can get out of control, just like the “I may need this later” can. Don’t let that happen. Out of sight is out of mind. Whoever said it, knew what they were talking about. If you put it away you will forget about it and if you really need something similar, you will find it.
2. Register progress. Once you’re done with one living space you will be pleasantly surprised to see that keeping it clean comes easy. Daily cleaning up is not on many people’s list of favorite activities when the space looks like a bomb went off, but decluttering first puts a new spin on it. You actually start liking it. Try it.
3. What to do with all of that? Give away, consign, sell online (if you have the time and inclination and it is worth it financially,) but try to avoid just putting in in the garbage if you can. There is enough of that as it is.
4. All rooms done, now what? Breathe. Your life just got better and your home healthier. Plus, you can add some air-cleaning plants to your home, such as peace lily, snake plant, golden pothos, spider plant and ferns (more on this on a future post.)