Reducing Clutter to Reduce Stress
Getting rid of clutter is all the rage right now! While popular books maybe sweeping bestseller lists, reducing clutter is more than just a trendy topic — it can actually relieve stress and increase our feelings of well-being. Consider the following:
- A 2016 study showed that a cluttered home can lead to lower subjective well-being.
- Researchers at the USC and UCLA both found that clutter can increase our levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day.
- Princeton researchers found that clutter wears on us and negatively impacts our ability to focus. Clutter competes for our attention, making it hard to focus now, and eventually leaving us drained from the excess visual stimuli.
- Excess clutter can even damage our physical health. Dust and dander that build up in cluttered areas can contribute to respiratory issues, dirty dishes can invite pests, and clutter can sometimes even be a fire hazard.
Whether we’re conscious of it or not, clutter can stress us out. If you’re not a neat freak, de-cluttering your space may feel daunting. But there are small steps that can lead to big gains in the way your home makes you feel. Here are some of our favorites that we found:
The Daily De-Clutter
- Many of us have a visible area in the house where daily items tend to accumulate (like that spot on the kitchen counter, or the table by the door). Try dedicating 5-10 minutes a day to tidying up that specific area.
- Take 10 to do a speedy “clutter control” sweep of your main living areas each day. Even just a few minutes of putting away shoes, hanging up keys and coats, and tossing out junk mail can change the way your space feels, and can keep clutter from getting overwhelming.
- Make it a family affair — designate others in the household to clean up one or two small, specific mess-prone areas each day.
- Only have a few minutes? Prioritize cleaning or organizing your items for tomorrow morning so that clutter doesn’t make you late.
- Full hands in, full hands out! As you move from one room to another, try to remember to grab an item that should come with you. Snag your shoes from the hall on your way to the bedroom, or grab that glass off the coffee table as you head into the kitchen.
Getting the Big Stuff Under Control
- Try organizing one room at a time. If even that feels daunting, try picking a room or area and going through it one component at a time — first going through that box, then the night stand, then the closet, etc.
- Just say no. It’s easy to crowd your space with more and more things. When tempted to click “buy now”, look around you and remember that practicing restraint can mean a clean, relaxing home — and a happier pocketbook.
- Follow the one-year rule: If you haven’t used it or worn it in a year, there’s a real good chance it can go.
- Think “one in, one out”. As you accumulate new items that we replace over time — like clothing or toys or dishes — try to get rid of one item for every new one you get.
- Try semi-annual toy clean-outs. After birthdays and holidays, let the kids help determine which toys they’ve outgrown or won’t use that can be donated or given away.
- Prioritize functional home improvements, like adding shelves to your closets or backpack hangers in the entryway. They may not feel like glamorous projects, but organizational improvements can make for a relaxing, aesthetically-pleasing space.
Lastly, remember that de-cluttering is about clearing a little space so that your mind feels at ease — not about creating new stress by striving for domestic perfection. We all battle with clutter and messes, and few homes are perfectly tidy and organized all the time! So rather than worrying about keeping up with the Pinterest-perfect Joneses, concentrate on organizing or tidying up enough for you to feel at ease. Try a few tactics that seem realistic for your household, and see if they help you create a space that fuels your overall sense of peace and well-being.
