Is your home environment an oasis of calm and tranquillity or do you feel like it’s a constant battle to keep your house tidy and organised? Well, if you struggle to keep your home free from clutter, you are not alone. With full time jobs and busy lives, keeping on top of household organisation is difficult for many.
The problem is that in our consumer-driven society it’s easy to find your home quickly fills with clutter. Whether it’s overflowing drawers and cupboards or piles of paperwork and unloved toys, living amidst chaos and clutter isn’t pleasant and can even be harmful to your health.
Clutter may seem like a trivial problem but has been linked to anxiety, exhaustion and depression. People often find it hard to be positive or motivated when surrounded by an untidy environment and living amidst mess can put a strain on relationships too – particularly when family members criticise one another for the clutter.
Your physical health can also be impacted by clutter. For example, a mountain of stuffed toys in the bedroom is a haven for dust mites. Pet hair and dust gathering amongst clutter can aggravate allergies. An office overflowing with paperwork and electrical equipment could be a fire hazard. And odds and ends in hallways or on staircases can be a trip hazard or could prevent you escaping quickly in the event of a fire.
The problem is that once the clutter gets out of control it can be difficult to find the time to get your home back in order. And when faced with a house full of mess, many people struggle to know where to start.
The solution is to start small. Trying to deal with the whole house in one go is unrealistic and if you take on too much at once, it’s easy to become disheartened and give up. So don’t think about trying to sort out the whole house or even a whole cupboard in one go. Instead, break the task down into small manageable chunks – and spend just five minutes at a time sorting things out. Five minutes might not sound long but it’s amazing how much you can actually get done. For example, if you have an untidy wardrobe that is bursting at the seams, spend just five minutes pulling out a few items that can be taken to the charity shop.
If you spend a few minutes each day doing this, by the end of the week, you’ll find that your wardrobe is much more organised. Or if your kitchen cupboards need cleaning don’t try to organise them all at once – instead keep a rubbish bag, cloth and detergent to hand and sort out just one shelf at a time. Perhaps each time you are waiting for the kettle to boil you could sort just one shelf. Alternatively, a really quick way to make a start on clutter is to go from room to room with two bin bags – one for rubbish and one for the charity shop.
To find out more about how clutter could be causing negativity in your life – as well as tips for dealing with clutter, visit: www.clutter.co.uk