Clutter Control: How to Reclaim Your Space (and Life)
Let’s start with a short word association exercise. What do you think of when you think of the word “home”?
If you’re like most people, you think of concepts like “tranquillity,” “safety,” and “comfort.” When you conjure an image of an ideal home, you think of a place of refuge from the noisy, cluttered and unpredictable world.
So, what happens when a home doesn’t make you feel comfortable, tranquil, safe? What happens when a home, overwhelmed by clutter, no longer feels like a place of refuge?
That’s what this article will discuss: how clutter can overtake your space, leaving you feeling stressed and powerless, and what you can do to counteract it. If you want help organizing your home and reclaiming control, here’s the motivation you need to take the first step!
The Case Against Clutter
To medical professionals, clutter isn’t simply mess; it can be detrimental to one’s physical and mental health. Physically, clutter can cause a proliferation of mould, mildew, dust and dander that can exacerbate allergies and asthma. It can also pose a significant fire hazard.
Mentally, clutter can be destabilizing, causing you to feel helpless, overwhelmed and anxious. Psychologists caution that too much clutter causes excess visual stimuli, which your brain struggles to process. And, as stuff piles up, you begin to feel ashamed of your home. Together, these feelings combine to make you feel stressed, where – in your own home – you should feel safe and comfortable.
Start with a Plan
As with other personal issues, the first step in the corrective process is acknowledgment. Admit to yourself that you have a clutter problem, and then immediately resolve to take action.
Start with a plan: what goals do you have for your home (i.e., clear spaces and organizational systems), and what do you need to do to achieve those goals. It helps to write these things down so that you can refer to them later and track your progress.
Get Help from Professionals
You don’t have to undertake decluttering all by yourself. Especially if you are going through a challenging or emotional period in your life, it may be unfair to ask yourself to take on the burden alone. There are professional home organization services that can help you take control. Working alongside you, home organizers will help sort through your belongings, determining what to keep, sell, donate or throw away.
Implement Intuitive Organizational Systems
Another benefit of partnering with a professional decluttering service is that they can help you implement intuitive organizational systems. In other words: they can establish easy-to-follow strategies so that you can keep your home tidy in the future. This can include methods for organizing your closet, garage, kitchen, or wherever else you normally accumulate clutter.
Your home should be a sanctuary, not a source of stress. If you feel overwhelmed by clutter, follow these simple steps to reclaim your space and start living freely again. Write down a plan, partner with a decluttering service and implement organizational systems to ensure you don’t backslide in the future. What are you waiting for? Your new home awaits.
