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Decluttering - what's the point? - 8th August 2017
Everywhere you look there are books, TV programmes and even blog posts advocating the benefits of decluttering.
Maybe you have what most people would term a "cluttered" home, but actually, you have no inclination whatsoever to declutter? Is that a problem?
What exactly is the point of decluttering?
Are you happy as you are?
Once people know that my work is helping people to declutter I often find myself having some interesting conversations. Often a person will tell me in great detail what their home is like and that they have masses of clutter. They usually conclude by saying that this is exactly how they like it.
I'm not sure what they expect me to say, but I tell them that's fine! Because it absolutely is - don't let anyone brow beat you into decluttering unless you actually want to do it. It's your home after all.
Or - does your clutter control your life?
The thing is that more often than not, clutter has a broader impact than you might realise. You may be perfectly content with the clutter itself, but what about the ramifications of that clutter?
The first thing that springs to mind is the many clients who have contacted me because they realise that due to their cluttered homes they are becoming progressively more isolated. They don't get many visitors. They don't get to see many young children as parents may view the cluttered space as being hazardous for toddlers.
Maybe, despite you being comfortable in your space you are far less comfortable at the prospect of sharing it with others? Might you feel a little embarrassed, perhaps?
One of my clients hired me to help her clear her spare bedroom which was filled with all manner of things. Why did she do this? She wanted to have her young grandchildren to stay with her over the school holidays and it just wouldn't have been possible without a major decluttering session.
How do you feel?
You may not realise it but your home environment has a huge impact on how you feel. If you frequently suffer from a low mood, lack of energy and have no joie de vivre, then your clutter could be sucking the life out of you.
It's been proven that anything in our peripheral vision is a distraction or stimulus. If whichever way you turn there are piles of stuff, then your mind just doesn't get any down time at all and you will struggle to concentrate, let alone relax. That's just not healthy.
Create a sanctuary where you can feel relaxed
If you recognise some of the above symptoms, then maybe it's time to take some action? Nothing too radical, unless that's what you want. My suggestion would be to focus on one room.
Get one room clear of clutter so you have somewhere to relax and de-stress. That might be your bedroom, or perhaps your living room. Go with whichever feels right for you.
You might surprise yourself. Once you feel the benefits, you might just want to do another room . . . .
Of course if you need some support, I'm happy to help. Why not give me a call and we can discuss how you might get started in the best way for you?
Keywords: why declutter, embarrassment, sanctuary
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