Declutter Your Home for Your Health
“Eh, I’ll clean that up tomorrow,” you say to the growing pile of mail on the counter, the dishes in the sink, or the mountain of laundry on the couch. But all that clutter isn’t just unsightly. It could be affecting your health. Research tells us that clutter can stress you out, even causing a notable increase in cortisol levels. (Cortisol is your body’s main stress hormone.)
It’s easy to let clutter get out of hand. In this blog, we’ll offer a few tips for how to avoid it so that you can keep your home clean and clear.
How to Declutter Your Home: 7 Unique Tips
These tips are simple but powerful. If you feel overwhelmed, start with one and take baby steps. Let’s go!
1. Only Keep Things That Spark Joy
To begin, we’re taking a page out of Marie Kondo’s book, literally. In The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Kondo says that you should only own items that “spark joy.” In other words, if it doesn’t bring you happiness (or somehow make your life easier), why hang onto it?
For example, do you own an outfit that you never really felt confident in but you hang onto it just in case? Why? That outfit isn’t making you any happier, but if you donate it, it might end up in the hands of someone who loves it.
You can apply this to just about anything in your home — even the tiny things, like jewelry and small gadgets. After all, those will add up eventually.
(Are you worried you’re going to miss that item? Ask yourself: What was the last thing you donated that you regretted getting rid of? We bet you’ll have a hard time answering!)
2. Don’t Put it Down, Put it Away
This is a little mantra that can stop you from creating clutter in the first place. Did you just open a bunch of mail from the last week? Take fresh laundry out of the dryer? Come home from a trip with a bunch of packed suitcases?
Don’t put it down. Put it away!
If you can immediately make the choice to clean up before it can turn into a pile of clutter, then you won’t pay the price later on. Think of it as saving yourself a big mess (literally) to clean up, because that’s exactly what you’re doing.
3. One in, One Out
Did you buy a new outfit? Donate an old one you never wear. Did you purchase that expensive non-stick pan you’ve been eyeing? Donate or recycle that old, beat-up one. Did Santa Claus bring your child a bunch of new toys? Consider retiring the older ones and giving them to a kid in need.
Clutter happens when we start to accumulate so much that it’s hard to keep it tidy. One way to declutter is to maintain the amount of belongings you have in your possession in the first place — or better yet, reduce them!
4. The 3-Month Rule
You ever discover something you forgot you had? If so, then it’s probably clutter.
How can you be more proactive about this? Try the three-month rule! The exact amount of time is flexible, but here’s how it works: If you haven’t used it in three months and don’t suspect you’ll use it within the next three months, then you can probably do without it. Think about it: If you can go a full six months without using something… do you really need it?
There’s another trick that works for your wardrobe, in particular. First, make sure all of your hangers are facing the same direction. Once you’ve worn something, turn that hanger in the opposite direction. A few months from now, audit what’s still sitting there that you haven’t worn. It might be something you just don’t like anymore. If that’s the case, donate it!
5. Would You Ask for it Back?
Maybe you have an item you’re debating donating or tossing, but you just can’t make up your mind. Imagine this: You loan it to a friend, and then suddenly, the friendship is over. Would you still make a point of calling this ex-friend and asking for that item back, or would you let it go and call it a day?
If you’d go with the latter route, then it’s probably clutter and it’s time to move on.
6. Invest in Multi-purpose Items
One simple way to save space is to prioritize owning items that can do more than one thing. For instance, air fryers can replace multiple gadgets and appliances in your home, which means they take up less space, which equals… less clutter! Find one that fries, bakes, toasts, dehydrates, and roasts. Take good care of it and it’ll last you years.
Multi-purpose, portable cleaners are another space-saver and, because you have one tool with multiple functions, they’re a money-saver, too. A quick search on Amazon reveals gadgets you can use to vacuum and mop your floors, and the attachments make it easy to even clean your furniture and car — very valuable if you have pets.
These are just a couple of examples. If you want to simplify your life and minimize clutter, these kinds of gadgets are your best friends.
7. Simplify your desk setup
If you have an office space at home, you might be acquainted with the frustration of dealing with endless plugs, cords, writing tools, and notepads. Under-desk mounts can be attached to the bottom of your desk, providing a discrete space to store some of your necessities. There are also variations that hang off the side of the desk.
Plus, there are other cord organizers you can purchase for other areas of your home, like behind the entertainment center. This type of clutter is not only unsightly but also becomes a landing spot for dust, and then you have an even bigger mess to clean up.
We know how tricky clutter can be. You avoid taking care of it in the first place because it’s a pain, and end up dealing with an even bigger pain later on. Follow these tips for steering clear of pesky messes and shop strategically, and clutter won’t stand a chance in your home.