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The new year means a fresh start. According to Mayo Clinic, decluttering your space could make you feel healthier. Extra stuff can lead to stress. Those who visualized clutter, which has been defined as “an overabundance of possessions that create chaotic and disorderly living spaces,” showed higher levels of the stress hormone, cortisol.
Most have spaces in their homes filled with unused or unwanted possessions, and they are waiting for an opportune time to take action. Decluttering may seem like a daunting and stressful task, but one study suggests that chronic procrastination may lead to clutter. Stop procrastinating, and take action!
Use these tips to avoid stalling:
- Start with one small area to avoid being overwhelmed. Organize and get rid of anything not used.
- Start with things that don’t hold emotional value, and gradually build up to sentimental items.
- Create a designated place for items, and try to keep them in that place.
- Use the one-in, one-out rule. When purchasing something new, get rid of something to ensure space.
- Reduce purchases. Unsubscribe from e-mail lists to avoid being tempted by sales.
- Make 3 piles: Keep, donate, and throw out.
- Use container boxes to keep organized.
- Set aside 10-15 minutes at the end of each day to put stray items away.
Research has shown that people avoid discarding possessions for many reasons, including feeling wasteful and a loss of self-identity associated with disposal of sentimental possessions. Since people identify closely with their home setting, living in clutter can impede their identification with their home, or any space of their own, for that matter.
There are many benefits to cleaning up clutter:
- Save time looking for items by putting them in designated spaces.
- Reduce stress related to lost items.
- Gain more storage space.
- Gain more energy from an organized home.
- Have a more inviting home.
Take as much time as needed to clear the clutter, and enjoy the freedom of an organized space. Continue clearing out unwanted items and putting items back into their appropriate location.
About the Author:
Kim Chin received her B.S. in Nutrition at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. She then became a Technical Recruiter, but realized health and wellness was her passion. She decided to go back and do her Dietetic Internship with Wellness Workdays with a focus in worksite wellness and health promotion. She has been a Registered Dietitian for a few years and is a major foodie, you can follow her on Instagram @dietichin (get it? A play on Dietitian + her last name: Chin). You can find her trying out new restaurants, running along the Embarcadero in San Francisco, or hiking with her pup, Basil.
