Why does Decluttering make me Happy
- Decluttering cleans my house
- I can have a general cleaning of my space and have satisfying vibes
- I discover old stuff that I did not know I can still use
- It is somehow a relaxing therapy as you can declutter with music or just in silence
- Decluttering can be done at your own pace which does not make me feel rushed
How does decluttering improve your life?
Since embracing minimalism almost a decade ago, I’ve learned there are many ways that decluttering improves your life . Less stuff leads to less stress, and there is no doubt that I have more time, money and energy than ever before. My home is a blissful retreat and I love walking through my front door.
Is your home and life too cluttered?
There’s no denying that when your home and life are cluttered, you’re more likely to feel overwhelmed. More stuff equals more demands on your attention (everything from laundry to errands) and it’s difficult to focus because you feel pulled in all directions. You’re busy and stuff gets done … but at the end of the day, you’re not satisfied.
Can decluttering be an emotional hardship?
Another emotional hardship that comes from decluttering is that we get overwhelmed by the whole process. If we constantly think of the whole project (i.e. going through everything we own and every space we have) then it’s bound to feel hard and cumbersome.
Is decluttering a form of self-care?
But it’s worth the effort to find your personal sweet spot, because in the right amount, decluttering can be good for your mental and emotional well-being in many ways. And in that respect, decluttering can certainly be a form of self-care.
Why do I love getting rid of stuff?
Clutter is visual noise, and the disarray creeps into our mental faculties as well (for some of us more than others). So it stands to reason that clearing out our physical spaces, making room for air and light and growth, would be mirrored in our psyches as well.
Is decluttering addictive?
Compulsive decluttering is a type of disorder that is classified within a broad name, obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. Compulsive decluttering is the act of throwing items, or clutter, away, or getting rid of them in an attempt to "clean up" what one with the disorder may think is cluttered.
What does decluttering do to your brain?
“Studies show that people experience a significant decrease in the stress hormone cortisol when items are removed,” helping you to feel more stable, clearheaded, and relaxed as you clean.
Why decluttering is good for anxiety?
Our environment can impact our mood. If our surroundings stress us out, we feel the impact. Reducing the clutter in our lives—be it physical, digital or otherwise—allows us to tackle stressors head-on and that benefits our mental health. Clutter can annoy us, distract us or take away much-needed energy.
Can you declutter too much?
You want to keep clearing, decluttering, paring back until you have nothing left. You look around and objects feel like they're looming large, suffocating you simply by existing. This is compulsive decluttering – 'the opposite of hoarding' – also known as obsessive-compulsive Spartanism; being unable to handle mess.
When should you stop decluttering?
5 Signs It's Time To Stop DeclutteringBefore decluttering …After decluttering …You are shopping faster than you are decluttering. ... Decluttering feels like a competition or a race. ... It is so hard for you to let go and decluttering makes you sad and anxious. ... You feel frustrated when there is nothing to donate.More items...
What does clutter say about a person?
Clutter in the living room might suggest blockages in your social life, as well as your relationship with yourself, while a cluttered bedroom might relate to issues surrounding your sexual self, fears of intimacy or gender roles.
What happens after you declutter?
“Studies show that people experience a significant decrease in the stress hormone cortisol when items are removed,” helping you to feel more stable, clearheaded, and relaxed as you clean.
Why decluttering is good for your mental health?
Getting rid of excess stuff can benefit your mental health by making you feel calmer, happier, and more in control. A tidier space can make for a more relaxed mind.
Why do I get sudden urges to clean?
Compulsive cleaning is often related to fears of contamination, and compulsive arranging can be caused by a need for symmetry and balance. This disorder can be treated with therapy, medications, and procedures that stimulate parts of your brain known to be affected by the disorder.
Is decluttering spiritual?
So it's not at all a stretch to say that decluttering is a spiritual practice that frees us of distraction and puts what we love and what's ultimately important well within reach (and isn't this at the core of all spiritual practices?). The more we declutter what's not important, the closer we draw to all that is.
What is ADHD clutter?
“Cluttering is another behavior typical in folks with ADHD. Leaving items out as visual cues is a common way of compensating for an unreliable memory or inadequate time-management system, but to the untrained eye it can resemble hoarding,” she says.
What does clutter say about a person?
Clutter in the living room might suggest blockages in your social life, as well as your relationship with yourself, while a cluttered bedroom might relate to issues surrounding your sexual self, fears of intimacy or gender roles.
Is clutter a mental illness?
Buying more and more things we think we need, and then not getting rid of them, is an actual disorder in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM–V).
Why do people clean obsessively?
Compulsive cleaning is often related to fears of contamination, and compulsive arranging can be caused by a need for symmetry and balance. This disorder can be treated with therapy, medications, and procedures that stimulate parts of your brain known to be affected by the disorder.
Are clutter and trauma related?
According to research, there is a link between PTSD and hoarding. When one is exposed to trauma, people build guards around themselves and everything around them. If they start losing the stuff or declutter, they feel a void inside of them, so it's tougher for them than other people.
Why Does Clutter Affect Our Emotional Well-Being?
The perks that come with decluttering the physical space around you aren’t surprising given that exposure to cluttered, disorganized environments can compromise your attention, concentration, and focus — and even drain your cognitive resources , according to research on the results from fMRI scans. Moreover, living in a cluttered space is associated with self-reports of reduced productivity and more chronic procrastination, according to a study published in 2017 in Current Psychology.
Why is Marie Kondo so tidy?
For one thing, clutter and messiness can cause distress, which may be part of the reason why the Marie Kondo tidying method and minimalism trends dominate the headlines in wellness news more and more. After all, decluttering (the process of putting the miscellaneous physical things around you away where they belong) not only makes it easier to find what you’re looking for, it can also improve your mood and state of mind in myriad ways.
Why is decluttering important?
Why Decluttering Is Important for Self-Care ( and When It Isn’t) Tidying up can help you de-stress, gain a sense of control, and improve your state of mind in numerous ways. The process (and results) of putting things in their place can improve your mood and state of mind. If it puts you at ease, it can be an important part of self-care.
Why is it important to remove clutter?
Removing clutter also takes away visual interruptions. It’s an easy way to cleanse the palate and have a fresh start.”. Paring down and getting organized also promotes greater productivity, a sense of order, and feelings of self-efficacy, as well as improving your mood.
What does it mean to declutter?
Saxbe explains. “Decluttering allows you to cross things off the to-do list, which gives you a sense of accomplishment. Removing clutter also takes away visual interruptions.
When decluttering is self care?
When Decluttering Is Self-Care and When It Isn’t. Of course, you can take anything to an extreme level, so if decluttering becomes an obsession or you become super strict about having everything in a specific place, you can go overboard.
Is procrastination a two way street?
Notably, procrastination and clutter can be a two-way street. A study published in January 2019 in Environment and Behavior (also coauthored by Ferrari and Roster) found that indecision and procrastination at work are associated with increased office clutter.
1. Reduced stress and increased mental clarity
The benefits of decluttering and organizing extend beyond your physical space. It can also have a positive effect on your mental health.
2. Improved productivity and creativity
Having a clear space sparks creativity because you aren’t being weighed down by everything in your home.
3. Your home will feel more spacious and inviting
The decluttering process can feel a little overwhelming at first. However, if you take it one room at a time, the benefits to you and your home are immeasurable.
4. You will have more time for the things you enjoy
Having your home in order gives the freedom to refocus on what’s truly important. This will look different for everyone but could include spending more time with your family and friends, reading a book, going on vacation, or other hobbies.
5. Better sense of self-worth and pride
It can feel overwhelming trying to make your home beautiful, organized, and inviting. Especially when comparing to the Pinterest perfect homes.
6. Easier to clean up
Decluttering and organizing feels so good because you can see the progress. It’s not a one-time thing.
7. You will save and make money
It’s hard to imagine how decluttering items from your home and organizing could help you save money. But think about how often you repurchased something you already had because you couldn’t find it.
What Are the Benefits of Decluttering?
This is an obvious benefit of decluttering… when there’s less stuff in your home, it’s easier to keep it clean! Everything from vacuuming to dusting to laundry—it’s all easier to do when there is less stuff to deal with.
What does decluttering teach you?
Finally, decluttering teaches you to think intentionally about how you make choices.
Why is decluttering important?
One of the surprising benefits of decluttering is that it leads to more self-confidence. Here’s the thing—whether we want to acknowledge it or not, we tend to buy, keep, and do things because of the stories we tell ourselves. Your old college textbooks might make you feel intelligent, a designer handbag might make you feel successful, ...
What happens when you declutter?
When you declutter you spend less time caring, cleaning and searching for your stuff. (Let’s be honest … when you own a lot, odds are that you spend a lot of time trying to find missing things!)
What is the act of letting go?
The simple act of letting go is about so much more than just “getting rid of old stuff”— you’re also letting go of fears, expectations and insecurities. You’re creating freedom, learning new ways of thinking, and essentially reclaiming your life.
Does decluttering help you focus?
You think the problem is not enough time but in reality, what you probably need is more focus. If you weren’t constantly tripping over toys and putting out proverbial fires, you’d have the mental space you need to recognise and act on your priorities. This is how decluttering helps you focus on what matters.
Can you hide things in the back of your closet?
Sure, they might be small—but think about how much unnecessary stuff you own. You can hide it in the back of your closet but it’s still in the back of your mind and undoubtedly, it’s causing you stress.
How does decluttering improve your life?
Decluttering Continues to Improve Your Life. The good news is this is a gift that just keeps giving. Decluttering creates a positive feedback loop. The more you declutter, the more you learn about who you are, which in turn makes it easier to let go.
What does "less stuff" mean?
As I’ve mentioned, there are immediate benefits. Less stuff means less time cleaning, less tripping over toys and less stress overall.
What happens when you own things that don't represent who you are?
When the things we own don’t represent who we really are inside, there’s a disconnect and it leaves us searching for something more. It’s a never-ending cycle … and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Why is it important to own things?
Owning certain things can be a way of protecting ourselves from the world. It feels “safe” to hide behind clutter, using it as a mask to avoid the risk of exposure. That expensive designer handbag shows you’re successful, even if you don’t feel that way inside.
What does it mean when your life is cluttered?
If your life is cluttered, then there’s a good chance that you’re not sure how to answer this question and it shows. Without a deep sense of purpose and belonging, you feel adrift and restless. You’re pulled in all directions, chasing every shiny object that catches your attention in search of something that will make you feel whole and satisfied.
Can decluttering be uncomfortable?
At first, a decluttered life can actually be uncomfortable. You might feel bored or uneasy with your new space and be tempted to fill it with something else.
Is there always something on the horizon?
There’s always something on the horizon but it doesn’t matter. There’s still a missing piece to the puzzle.
How to get started with decluttering?
1. Set your goals. When you are clear on why you are decluttering and what your end goal is, the more likely you will be to get there.
What is decluttering?
Decluttering isn’t about giving up everything that you own. It’s about being selective and keeping the things you love and use most. The reality is about 80% of our possessions don’t even get used.
Why do kids have stress?
Kids experience stress when they have too many toys to choose from and too much stuff to maintain. To set your kids up for success, provide boundaries with the number of toys they have.
How do people react to overwhelm?
The way that some people react to overwhelm is avoidance. It feels like too big of a task and the easiest thing to do is simply ignore the problem. However, not dealing with your stuff doesn’t make it go away. And in some cases, it means the excess is being pushed off to other people to deal with after you’re gone.
What to do when someone doesn't live close by?
If loved ones don’t live close by, they may also have to make a trip to deal with all of the belongings. That is a huge additional pressure and stress to have to process through in the midst of everything else.
Why is it important to have less?
Having less allows you to live a little more simply. It gives you the breathing room to make time for true self-care.
Is decluttering a one and done process?
Decluttering isn’t a one-and-done process. It requires looking at habits too. Be aware of how the clutter has been entering your home. This may mean needing to adjust both daily habits as well as reconsidering the way you shop.
IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME
Because of the fact that you are touching every item you own – the decluttering process takes time.
IT MAKES A HUGE MESS BEFORE IT GETS BETTER
This is one that comes as a shock to a lot of people, and can stop them in their tracks during decluttering.
YOU GET DECISION FATIGUE
This could well be the biggest of the reasons why decluttering is hard – or at least it’s the biggest one I can think of (even with all the others to pick from in this list).
YOU GET OVERWHELMED
Another emotional hardship that comes from decluttering is that we get overwhelmed by the whole process.
YOU GET SIDETRACKED EASILY
Along with it being hard because it’s a large job, and it’s time consuming – these things mean we are more likely to have to focus as much as possible to avoid being sidetracked at all.
