The Effects of Clutter on You and Your Life
Space
Most people feel that they don’t have enough storage space for their possessions. As a result, storage devices such as shelves, cupboards, wall units, storage boxes, files, drawer dividers, door hangers, filing cabinets, shoe racks, tool boxes, toy boxes, (the list is endless), sell well. These items are not cheap but are essential to accommodate all those belongings that don’t have a home.
But has it ever occurred to you that lack of storage isn’t the real problem? Maybe you just have too much clutter!
Offloading a few surplus possessions would free up shelves, cupboards, maybe even a whole room in some cases (how many of you have a junk room? A room whose main purpose is to dump clutter that you don’t know what else to do with)
Time
How much time do you spend looking for things?
How often do you lose your car keys or wallet? How often has looking for these items made you late for work, late to drop the kids off somewhere, or late for an appointment?
When did you last lose the TV remote control, the cordless phone, your mobile? Can you find scissors, sellotape, glue, or even a piece of paper to write, on at short notice? That DIY job would be simple if only you could find the spirit level/tape measure/pliers. Sorting out your finances would be a doddle if only you could find your last bank statement/new chequebook. Renewing your car tax disc would be easy if only you could find your MOT certificate/insurance certificate. You could write out your Christmas cards early this year if only you could find the cards you bought in the January sales last year.
Do any of the above sad scenarios happen in your life, and if so, how often?
Paring down your excess clutter would not only save time when looking for things (less piles to look through), but would stop those feelings of frustration and annoyance (everyone hates losing things). Emptying your junk room of clutter would free up a whole room. A whole room devoted to junk ! How mad is that?
Social Life
How often do you invite people round for a meal, or even for coffee? How many friends do you owe an invitation to, but say to yourself that you are too busy, you just don’t have time to invite anyone around?
Could it be that your clutter is the thing stopping you from being sociable?
Does the thought of having to tidy up the house for visitors fill you with dread or apathy? When the doorbell rings unexpectedly do you feels pleasantly surprised, or rush around in a panic tidying up, in case someone you respect has called unexpectedly and you don’t want them to see your house looking like a tip?
When you do invite friends or relatives around, is there one or more rooms that you try to keep them out of, because they are full of clutter and you would be embarrassed if anyone saw into them?
Getting rid of your clutter would mean that your house always looked tidy.
If you don’t have too many excess possessions then a quick tidy up would suffice when someone was visiting. Even in an uncluttered house possessions tend to accumulate in rooms of high use, such as the kitchen and living room, but a quick sweep up of these items would be so much easier if you had somewhere to put them. If your cupboard and drawers aren’t stuffed to capacity, but actually have some empty space in them, then tidying up is so much easier.
Get rid of your clutter and see if it revitalises your social life. Issue a few invitations and see how many you get in return!
Money
How much money do you spend buying things you don’t really need?
People love shopping and shopping is a past-time which some seem to enjoy for its own sake. Window shopping would not exist if people only shopped when they actually needed something.
Buying on impulse contributes to a clutter problem. How many of your unused possessions were bought on a whim? Maybe you have even bought an item you already have, because you can’t find the original in all your clutter.
Many people aimlessly collect things (china figures, plates, matchbooks, thimbles, paintings, old toys, CD’s, books, even antiques for the more well off). Collections can cost a lot of money and can make a home look very cluttered. Do you really have space to display your collection or will it end up in a cupboard, under your bed, or in boxes in the loft or garage? Can you afford the money you are spending on your collection, or could that money be better spent, (paying off your credit card/saving for your tax bill/taking a relaxing holiday)? Is your collection in reality just clutter?
Think of the money you could save if you only bought things you actually needed or knew you would use. Try costing up the amount you have spent on your collection over the years. The result could shock you!
Self Respect
Self respect may seem to have no connection with clutter, but think again.
When you lose things among all your clutter, when you miss appointments because you lost the appointment card, when you are uncomfortable with inviting friends around because your house is untidy, when you buy something you know you can’t afford and then you don’t have anywhere to put it when you get home, this all has a negative effect on your opinion of yourself.
You may profess to despise the ultra organised person but secretly do you envy them? People who are never late, don’t forget or lose things, whose house and car always look clean and tidy and who are on top of their finances, generate respect from most people. Organised people appear to be in control, on top of things, able to cope. Disorganised people appear to be just the opposite.
So what is stopping you from being organised, efficient and sailing through life in an effortless manner? Could it be your clutter? Maybe your clutter is making you late, making you lose things, making you poor, making you disinclined to socialise. Blame your clutter and you could just be putting the blame in the right quarter.
Get rid of your clutter and see your self respect soar. And after all, if you respect yourself, you will get the respect of others. People gauge their opinion of you from your opinion of yourself. Nothing can beat the feeling of being in control of your life, and having no clutter is one of the quickest ways of regaining control.
Once you control your clutter you will start to look at other parts of your life and want to gain control of those. Who knows where you could end up. But I guarantee it will be at a better place than where you started!
Related Blog Posts:
Why Does Clutter Make Us Feel So Bad?
Beware: Clutter Can be Toxic to Your Emotions
Stop Losing Things: De-Clutter Now!
Are You Held Back by Indecision?
