We all have excess “stuff,” whether it is at home, in the office, or in the car, and over time we accumulate all of this extra clutter out of negligence. Life gets busy, and organization can sometimes fall by the waist side. After a busy day of work, who wants to spend their nights and weekends straightening up? Although we may find the task of organizing daunting, and avoid it like the plague, there are more pros than cons when it comes to a clean, de-cluttered home, and what better time to start than spring? Here we list the ten reasons you should put de-cluttering your home at the top of your spring-cleaning list.
1. Promotes Relaxation and a Clearer, Calmer Mind
You don’t know how simply you can live until you de-clutter your home. We don’t realize how much we accumulate over the years. We find interesting ways to store things, and before we know it boxes are piled up, gift bags are stuffed full of who knows what, your never ending pile of clothes begins to decorate your dresser, and you can no longer see your household surfaces. Being organized and clutter-free releases your mind from stress and anxiety that is caused by always seeing messes around your house. Imagine walking into your home and seeing the floors, counter tops, your dresser, bed, and couch without anything on them. Things are filed properly, and stored in a formulated way, so you don’t have to worry about picking up a mess. Instantly serenity overcomes you with the fact that you have nothing to do but unwind after the hours you put in at work. With less unnecessary “stuff,” more space, and fewer things to put away, your mind will feel at ease.
Helpful Tip: Don’t be afraid to utilize wall space. There are so many creative ways decorate a wall with your things. Find a cool backdrop like some fancy wallpaper or make a chalkboard wall and put up some shelves to display your stuff out in the open.
2. Allows You More Time in Your Day
In a busy household, more often than not, we wish we had more time in our day. We work full-time jobs, perhaps have a family to take care of, hobbies, social events, and are desperate for some much-needed R.N.R. So much time is wasted putting things away, trying to organize your belongings, or just staring at the mess in front of you. Having a clutter free home and living with less allows you the time in your day to attain your busy schedule and then some!
Helpful Tip: Those deep cabinets in your kitchen and hallways make it tough to store items. Add some rolling drawers to these areas to make it easy and convenient.
3. You Feel More Organized, Accomplished, and Productive
Let’s face it; clutter is distracting. When you spend a full day cleaning your home, and after, sit on the couch and stare at your masterpiece, how productive, accomplished, and organized do you feel? You take a sigh of relief and welcome the coming week with ease knowing your home is sparkling and ready for you when you need it. Coming home from a long day and not having one thing to do in regards to cleaning is a very accomplished feeling. Not to mention all of the space you have uncovered that can be utilized in a better way!
Helpful Tip: Utilize compartment organizers. Many different designs work well in drawers or on top of dressers. This will make it easy to see the things you use on a daily basis and get rid of the mess that tends to litter these areas.
4. Make Room for Important Things
Has your car been parked in the driveway for the past six months because you are using your garage as a storage unit? Do you struggle to find a spot to put your desk and computer? Getting rid of things that aren’t important frees up space for the things that are. There is so much undiscovered space in a cluttered home and when you finally trash the clutter, options open up. Maybe your office space fits nicely in a hallway, or you find a corner that is perfect for that library you’ve always wanted.
Helpful Tip: Kids have a lot of craft supplies. Use clear containers and labels to make it easy to see what everything is, and store them on a shelving unit. Having these items out in the open may motivate your children to dive into creativity more often.
5. You’ll Want to Take Care of the Things You Have
When the house isn’t constantly in disarray, you have more motivation to tidy up the small things–like picking up that sock off the floor– and take care of what you do have. When you get rid of the stuff that is weighing down your home, it’s incredible how much you actually want to keep your space orderly.
Helpful Tip: Keep like-things together. This will help you not re-purchase things you already have. Create a candle drawer, cleaning cabinet, etc. You will be amazed at how much money you will save!
6. Gives You the Opportunity to Help Others
Going through your belongings, you will notice items you haven’t touched in a year. Instead of throwing them out, you have the opportunity to donate what you no longer need. In turn, you feel good about helping others, and many donation places offer a receipt for a tax write-off.
Helpful Tip: To get rid of clothes you haven’t touched, try the Oprah Winfrey Method. Place all of your hangers in your closet the wrong way. When you wear a piece of clothing, return it to the hanger, and face it the right way. After six months, whatever hangers are not facing the right way are the ones to get rid of!
7. Improves your Health
Yes, de-cluttering your home will improve your health, starting with freshening your air. When your things accumulate, they bring with them household dust which can contain harmful elements such as arsenic, decomposing insects, pollen, and many other things you should not be breathing in. By creating an open space and getting rid of the things accumulated in the corner you will ensure your home doesn’t get you sick!
Helpful Tip: The task of de-cluttering can be intimidating. Start by getting rid of one item each day.
8. Helps Your Social Life
When you have a clean home, it is invigorating and inviting. Now you won’t have anxiety when a friend or family member wants to stop by, and maybe now you’ll make it a point to welcome people into your home. A clutter-free home is perfect for entertaining.
Helpful Tip: For things that you don’t want to see all the time, place them in numbered boxes on a bookshelf or rack. From there, you can create a spreadsheet that corresponds with the number on the box telling you what is inside.
9. Stimulates Creativity
With less on your plate and an organized place, your brain will start to feel inspired, and the creative juices will begin to flow. Now that you have a calm mind, your call to be creative can be explored!
Helpful Tip: Don’t be afraid to use chic bins to store things like your seasonal items. In the summertime fill your container with goggles, sunscreen, and beach toys. In the wintertime fill it with mittens, beanies, and scarves.
10. You Can Sell Your Home at a Higher Price
A study conducted in 2012 noted that cleaning and de-cluttering is the most cost-effective way to prepare your home to be listed for sale, and real estate professionals agree. Having a clean space is more enticing to homebuyers. When things are neat and tidy, the structure of the interior can shine and be noticed!
Helpful Tip: To keep yourself on track, create a list of each room you need to de-clutter and organize. Write down the goals for each room and make a checklist to hold yourself accountable.
Tackling a de-cluttering project may seem daunting at first. But remember there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. You will benefit greatly from tidying up, and if you are looking to sell your home or purchase a new one, this will only boost the aesthetic or make it easy to pack and move with less!
