Do you struggle with clutter? Millions of Americans do. What
you, and they, may not realize is that clutter can affect your mind and body.
The following information may be helpful in encouraging you to rid your life of
clutter for the last time.
How does your home make you feel when you walk in the door
at the end of the day? Do you feel peaceful and glad to be at home because it
is your sanctuary? Alternatively, do you feel dread because there is a mountain
of unfolded laundry in the chair, a stack of magazines spread all over the
floor and a sink full of this morning’s dishes? Scientific reports claim the
state of your house reflects the state of your mind. Disorganization and
clutter indicate there is something out of balance. The trick is learning what is
off-kilter and how to set it straight.
Living in a cluttered home is stressful – for everyone. Mom
is constantly pulled from what she needs to do to help someone find his or her
homework. Dad is late for work because he cannot find his car keys. As the
pressure to find those things that are lost mounts, so does the tension. Before
too long, something or someone snaps.
Think about how you feel when you have misplaced something.
You may berate yourself for being careless. You may feel frustrated and ready
to give up. When your child comes in to ask a question, you may not respond in
a loving manner and feelings are hurt. Decluttering and organizing your home
can help alleviate this problem.
Clutter drains you of energy and makes you feel tired. When
you have to look at clutter, you most likely feel overwhelmed. You know you
need to do something but you do not have the energy. Take time to clear the
clutter from one small area. It can help you and your family feel more
energetic and more inspired to work on decluttering in other areas.
Did you know clutter could be making you sick physically? No
one wants to think about it, but clutter can be the breeding ground for germs,
dust, mold and mildew. It could even hide a problem with mice. If you do not
believe clutter can make you sick, think of the stress mentioned above. If you
have too much stress, you may develop high blood pressure. Dust and mold can
cause allergies or worse.
Clutter can also affect your body weight. People with
clutter are usually sedentary while those with an uncluttered home are active.
Part of this may be because the clutter in the home makes it hard for you to
move. You may also be using clutter, like being overweight, as a means to
protect yourself. Clutter keeps people at bay and so there is little chance
that you will be hurt.
Now that you understand some of the ways clutter can affect
your mind and body, consider what you are going to do about it. Will you take a
step forward and begin decluttering, or will you let it continue to rule your
life and that of your family?
Less Clutter = Less Stress SM in your home, your
business and your life
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