11 Reasons to Clear Your Clutter Today
I've been procrastinating on a difficult job.
This task regarding my late mother's estate is one I've been putting off for a while. It's going to be complicated, and I'm not sure how to accomplish all of it. I'm going to have to make a lot of phone calls and probably ask some dumb-sounding questions to get the help I need.
I know it will be a great relief to be done with it, yet I don't start.
Overcome procrastination
Has decluttering been on your radar for a while, but you just haven't started? You know you need and want to do it, but you're busy. Always busy, and decluttering takes some time.
It's pretty easy to do the "get rid of one item each day" method, but you feel like that will take forever, and you want to see meaningful results soon. But lack of time, lack of energy, and that must-see TV show keep getting in your way.
Maybe these reasons to declutter will give you the motivation you need to get started today.
11 benefits gained by decluttering
1. Save time.
Have more time every day to do things you enjoy more than managing your home.
- A clutter-free home makes it easier to find what you need when you need it, without fruitless searching.
- Because everything has a place to belong, it's easier to see when you need to restock or replace something.
- Owning less stuff makes your home quicker and easier to keep clean.
2. Save money.
You shop less when you become conscientious about maintaining a clutter-free space.
- You stop buying things you don't need.
- You save on containers and other organizing systems because you have less to store.
- You save money every time you don't buy something simply because you can't find it – even though you think you have that thing somewhere. (No more going out to buy packing tape, Lysol, or pimiento-stuffed olives only to find you already have three or four half-used rolls, cans, or jars.)
- You stop renting storage space (and maybe even move to a smaller home) when decluttering helps you realize you don't need so much room after all.
3. Feel more calm and in control.
There are many things in life we can't control, but our living environment isn't one of them. When other things are chaotic, home can be a refuge.
Imagine coming home to a serene, welcoming space where everything you own fits comfortably, with room to spare. Imagine how much less stress you will feel when home is simple and straightforward.
4. Feel good in everything you wear.
A stuffed closet and "nothing to wear" is a common complaint, because rather than figuring out our best sizes, styles, and colors, we just buy something new. We buy what's trendy or what's on sale whether it's right for us or not. A pared-down wardrobe of your favorites that fit and flatter makes getting dressed easy.
5. Get out the door more easily.
Little things, like not being able to find your keys or a child's homework, can completely derail your morning schedule. Clear clutter and mornings will be smoother.
Just imagine easier grooming and dressing, preparing breakfast and lunches in a neat kitchen, selecting outerwear from a streamlined coat closet, and a more pleasant start to everyone's day.
6. Find more focus.
Visual noise demands our attention, just as any loud noises do. With piles and clutter in our workspace, our brains have to work overtime to filter out the things that don't require our attention so we can focus on what does.
Remove the clutter, and you'll find it easier to prioritize, concentrate on, and finish tasks with greater ease.
7. Improve your child's life.
Are the toys out of control? Decluttering is a great way to refocus on creativity and imagination.
Make sure the toys you keep don't do everything for your child – reduce electronic and branded toys to encourage independence and innovation. And say goodbye to stepping and tripping on scattered items, since corralling fewer toys is so much easier.
Related article: The 20 Toy Rule
8. Get better sleep.
Distractions make it more challenging to fall asleep, so removing clutter from your bedroom can improve the quality of your slumber.
Leave the worries of the day behind when you enter your clean and peaceful space ready to rest and recharge.
9. Park your car.
Can you fit your car in the garage? Many of us store boxes of items we never even open, yet cars which cost thousands sit outside.
Clear the clutter, and finally park your vehicle in the garage, where it's protected from weather damage and maybe even vandalism or break-ins.
10. Help others.
Clothes, kitchen items, furniture, toys, tech, and even hobby supplies you aren't using can probably be used by someone else. Wouldn't it feel good to know that all of your unneeded items were helping people instead of sitting in your closets, basement, or rented storage space?
The ability to be generous is a sure sign that you have enough, so giving will also increase your feelings of gratitude.
Consider the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity ReStores, Oxfam, or local shelters, churches, and schools.
11. Sell your home for more.
If you're thinking of putting your home on the market, decluttering is a good way to help it look its best, and it's free! A clutter-free home looks brighter, cleaner, more spacious, and more inviting to potential buyers, and may sell more quickly and at a higher price.
In fact you may love the new look so much that you decide to stay after all!
- remove the stuff that's bogging you down
- uncover a cleaner, more spacious home that welcomes and supports you
- escape the consumer treadmill
- overcome bad habits and practice better ones
- highlight your favorite belongings and memories
- find time for what you care about
- discover focus and peace
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Updated July 2022
Interesting. Thank you.
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