8 amazing reasons to declutter for astonishing results

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It’s no surprise that today’s world is over run with stuff and if you’re anything like me, you just keep getting more. But have you ever wondered, “does decluttering your house help with anything?”

The answer is a resounding YES!

So let’s get into it.

From the get-go there are 2 main categories that declauttering your house is going to make a difference in.

• The time you have
• The way you feel

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Save time by decluttering your house

When you take the time to declutter your house you will be amazed in the amount of time you find while you clean!

It’s like finding buried treasure 🤣

I was once told that a productive person would spend an hour doing something that would save them 15 minutes every day for a week.

While decluttering your house might take longer than an hour, it will certainly save you more than 15 minutes a day and that dividend will last far longer than a week.

In fact, Dana of The Tao of Dana – a Feng Shui consultant- says that she’s seen people save an hour a day, every day after a big declutter in her article for MindBodyGreen.

So where do you start?

Take a tip from Marie Kondo

I know, you’re probably tired of hearing about the Konmari method.

Ever since her TV series hit Netflix it’s been every where but honestly, there is a lot to be said for it.

I highly suggest starting to decluttering your house by choosing a category that feels overwhleming.

Do you have a ton of paper work just stacked around that needs to be dealt with?

Maybe you have a laundry room full of clothes that need to be washed meanwhile, everyone’s closets are still overflowing.

No matter what category you choose, pick one that’s going to make you feel relieved when it’s under control.

Make sure everything has a place

By making sure everything has a place you’ll make your home a more organized, clutter-free version of itself.

And this is hugely helpful on so many levels.

Start by creating major categories for things like “extra cords”, “throw blankets” or “books” then find somewhere for them to go.

This could be a:

• shelf
• basket
• drawer
• container

And don’t forget to label it!

Once you have categories created and spaces assigned, two things will happen. You’ll realize how much stuff you have and how much space you actually want to keep it in.

If you have a chest that you’re going to keep your blankets in but you still have 4 left after it’s full, consider donating or re-homing your extra extras. How often are 16 blankets all in use at the same time after all?

When everything has a place it will be much easier to find things and you’ll be able to appreciate what you have that much more.

So how does decluttering your house save you time?

By going ahead and decluttering your house you’ll find more time in a few ways.

The first way is that you’ll know where things are.

When you know where things are, you won’t have to spend your time looking for them!

Just think about the last time you misplaced your favourite shirt or your keys. How long did it take to find it again?

When you have less things and they have a specific place that they “live” you’ll always know where it is. But, even if it’s not there, you’ll have way less to go through to find it.

When you have fewer things you’ll also have to spend a lot less time cleaning up week after week. Lots of stuff usually equal a lot of rummaging and moving things around.

If you have less stuff then you don’t have to do this.

And in the case of laundry, you won’t have piles of it that need to be attended to since there is some urgency when you only have a week’s worth of clothing to wear.

Another sutle way that you’ll get more time by decluttering is that you won’t be distracted by knowing that you need to get around to doing something about the huge mess that is your house.

By freeing up that brain space you’ll be more focused and productive. You’ll be able to spend your time effectively which means you’ll get more done in less time.

• Related: The Easy Way to Get Spring Cleaning Done
• Related: How to Get Organized as a Working Mom

Change the way you feel by decluttering your house

The environment that we spend our time in has a huge effect on the way that we feel.

Just think about it,

Have you ever been in an office where there is a massive stack of paperwork on the desk, pens all over, magazines strewn across the coffee table and 4 old coffee cups adoring the book shelf?

How do you feel in a space like this?

Probably not that at home- see what I did there? 😉

If your home is in a state of disarray many of us feel distracted or uncomfortable. You can “get used to it” but that’s probably not the best option.

After all,

When you’re in a bright and airy office with an ordered work system you feel much more at ease and able to work right?

Decluttering can reduce stress and anxiety

Alice Boyes says in her article on Psychology Today that decluttering has a number of benefits including making yourself feel more competent and encouraging “lightbulb moments”.

And all this comes from our effort to put order in chaos.

She goes on to say that decluttering can help reduce tension in relationships since there is less stress about the mess, mistreatment of possessions and finding something when needed.

We’re calmer and able to focus more

In the same vein, when our home is clean and clutter free we have less stuff vying for our attention. There is just too much stimulation to feel focused and calm.

Think about this,

Have you ever seen a child on Christmas day who’s gotten too many presents?

I’m a mom so I definitely have.

They’re eyes get really big and wild and they start talking really loud and fast and they start running around. They often get overwhelmed and can get irritable, flat out angry or even cry.

It’s because there is just too much to take in. Too much to do, too much that needs our attention. They just can’t keep up.

And that’s us in a messy space- though maybe to a lesser degree the concept is the same.

By getting rid of some of the unnecessary clutter we give our brains more space to process and to stay on top of what’s in front of us. Magically making us feel better.

Helps with your health

When you reduce the amount of stuff you have, you’re able to keep your space cleaner. When it’s cleaner there is less dirt, germs and allergens floating around.

Having less of this in your space helps you stay healthy and sleep better.

Increased Self Esteem

When your space is cluttered, disorganized or messy we often feel bad about ourselves.

Marie Kondo says that tidying is a dialogue with one’s self.

That’s why it’s important to tell yourselves the right things through how we keep our environment.

If we can keep things orderly our mind feels ordered. As I mentioned above, we feel capable. Our self esteem grows as we realize our home is something to be proud of.

By decluttering your house you might even find yourself wanting to celebrate or invite friends over. And the socialization also does wonders for making us feel good.

Time to Start Decluttering

Based on all the research and anecdotal evidence, decluttering has a ton of benefits going for it.

From being more productive, being happier and having more time to yourself, the case for getting rid of junk is strong. So let’s get to it.

Go ahead and download this declutter and cleaning worksheet so that you can plan out where to start. No matter what time of year it is.

Taking simple, actionable steps towards a clutter free environment is easier than you think! By starting to declutter your house now, you can be a brand new you by this time next month.

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