Accumulating clutter is something that occurs to many of us over time. Slowly but surely clutter appears in our homes without us even realizing it. We wake up one day and our room or our whole home is full and looks like a mess. This accumulation of clutter is not always just physical, but can be true for emotions as well.

               We sometimes have feelings toward people or objects that we are not aware of until a reminder makes us feel a certain way. We carry these thoughts and emotions around with us not even realizing that they are holding us back.

               No one enjoys clutter, but once it starts to build up it can be hard to rid yourself of it. What we might not be aware of is it can have a far greater effect on our lives than just looking messy. Clutter can affect us negatively, emotionally, and mentally as well. 

               Having a cluttered home can be a great source of stress. This is due to the dread of organizing the clutter and the stress of not knowing where anything is when you need it. Below we will go over several benefits of getting rid of both physical and emotional clutter, as well as several tips on how to clear out the clutter.

                Decluttering can improve your sleeping habits . If your room is full of clutter, this can hurt your sleeping habits. First, if the clutter stresses you out then you can lose sleep over that clutter. Second, the brain becomes overwhelmed with stimuli right before bed.

               This is due to you looking at all the clutter around you right before you go to sleep. Your brain then tries to process that clutter which holds you back from having a deeper sleep.

               Decluttering can boost your productivity and creativity . When you are surrounded by clutter, it can become hard to focus on the tasks at hand. Your mind begins to wonder as you stare at various piles of clothes or papers that surround you. This can slow down your productivity.

               For these same reasons, your level of creativity is affected too. It is hard to focus on writing an essay, reading a book, or painting if you are constantly distracted by the clutter. With the clutter gone, you can regain your focus and become more productive and creative.

               When starting to declutter it is best to start small . If your house is full of clutter, then the best thing to do is start the decluttering process one step at a time. First focus on one section of one room. Then slowly spread throughout the room to finish. From there do the same for any other clutter filled rooms, and ultimately you will have decluttered your entire home.

               Decluttering can motivate you to do other chores . When you are decluttering your home, you will be forced to make quick decisions that can energize your brain. This gives you energy as well as a sense of accomplishment. This energy can then lead you to be motivated to get more chores done around your home.

                 Your allergies may improve . Everything that is not used regularly collects dust. This dust can get into your air vents and then be spread around your whole home, causing your allergies to worsen. With the clutter gone, that dust will no longer be a problem and your allergies will improve.

                 You may have more living space . With all the clutter removed, you may suddenly find that you have more space to live in. This can also improve your confidence with you home. This new-found confidence may have you feel more inclined to have people come over and see your home.

                 Decluttering can help with the grieving process . After a loved one dies it can be hard to go through the items they left behind. Going through their belongings and sorting out what to keep and what to get rid of can be beneficial. You can reflect on the life they lived and see some of the items that they felt were very dear to them.

               This will allow you to find what items to keep of theirs to honor them.  We should also keep this in mind as motivation for us to declutter now so that those we leave behind will not be burdened by our clutter.

               Decluttering can help with your mental and spiritual growth . There is nothing wrong with holding onto some items for sentimental value, but you do not want to hold onto everything that has a memory. If you are hoping to grow as an individual, then some things are best left in your past.

               As you declutter you can sort through what items still hold sentimental value with who you are and who you wish to become. This may also help you find items to get rid of. This will help you as you move toward becoming the future you.

               When you declutter, you may find a great reduction in your stress and anxiety levels, further freeing yourself to use more energy toward growing as an individual.

               Reflection and meditation can help you declutter your mind and heart . Generally, when we think of decluttering cleaning up our rooms is what comes to mind. We can however have cluttered hearts and cluttered minds as well.

               A way to remedy this is to take the time to meditate and reflect on your past as well as how you are feeling now. Take stock of your surroundings and your emotions and get a better handle on them. This can help you to let go of past emotions and free you to grow in the future.

                Decluttering is not the easiest task to get started on, but when you do start you will feel that it is well worth it. Organizing your home as well as your heart is good for your health. With the clutter gone you might suddenly have more free time since you have less to clean, and you will have a better handle on where everything is located.

                If you have any comments please feel free to contact us by phone at 412-678-6177 or by email at strifflers@yahoo.com      

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