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Benefits of Decluttering: Powerful Reasons to Declutter Your Home and Life

Benefits of Decluttering: Powerful Reasons to Declutter Your Home and Life

BENEFITS OF DECLUTTERING: POWERFUL REASONS TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME AND LIFE

Clearing the clutter in my own home and life has had powerful impact way beyond simply getting rid of my stuff and creating more space. Learn more about my experience and the life-changing benefits of decluttering your home and your life.

DECLUTTERING AND SIMPLIFYING HOME AND LIFE

Decluttering my home and simplifying my life has been one of the most liberating and impactful things I’ve ever done. Clearing the physical clutter that takes up space in my home to clearing the clutter in my life, in all its shapes and forms, has been a rollercoaster of ups and downs and a huge learning experience.

I started out decluttering my clothes as this was a small project I could do just for me and with my own stuff. I moved to decluttering my child’s toys as this was taking up so much of time and energy each day clearing them away.

From then, I began to declutter the rest of my home and simplify my life in a series of small steps. At each step, I asked myself why I wanted a simpler home and life, what I hoped would change and how it would impact on me and my family. 

“It’s better to have extra time on your hands and extra money in your pocket than extra stuff in your closet.” (Joshua Becker)

Time for family, time for my kids, time for me, time for living my life, time for things that were important to me, time that money and stuff could never buy. Time, space and freedom plus so much more.

I’d like to share some of the benefits of decluttering I’ve discovered in this post with you. At the end, I’ve also included some helpful resources and articles to help you experience the benefits of decluttering your home and life too!

THE BENEFITS OF DECLUTTERING YOUR HOME AND LIFE

There are some wonderful benefits of decluttering and simplifying your home and life. I’d like to share them with you, including some links to other articles and resources if you’d like to explore them further.

1. Less stress

Our outer environments (our homes, workplaces and surroundings) affect our inner environments (our bodies and brains). Scientific studies have shown that clutter affects our ability to focus and concentrate and too much clutter has also been shown to increase our stress levels. Check out the research on stress and clutter but, in summary, if you want to cut down your stress levels, a good place to start is by ditching some of your clutter! Make your home a sanctuary and haven from the outside world.

2. More space

This is perhaps an obvious one, but getting rid of your unwanted clutter creates more physical space. You’re only keeping what you need, love, appreciate and adds value to your life. So there’s less random clutter taking up space in your cupboards, garage, shed, drawers, on table tops, shelves, work surfaces and of course, stacked on the floor and stairs!

3. More peace

Your home will be calmer and more peaceful because too much stuff not only clutters your space but it becomes visually distracting and clutters the mind. Read how to create a calm, peaceful family home that supports you and your family.

4. Easier to find things

It’s less likely that you’ll lose something (and therefore, it’s easier to find things) if you’ve generally got less stuff. There’s less clutter to sift through so even if you’re not the most neat and organised person, you’ll still be able to find things quicker. Generally, as part of the process of decluttering and deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, you’ll probably be reorganising things anyway and setting up proper filing systems, storage or places to keep things so you’ll know where most, if not everything, is.

5. Increases productivity and efficiency

A decluttered home is easier to organise. There’s no point organising before you declutter because you’ll just be organising your clutter, but organising your home after decluttering will make your home work better for you and your family.

Building on the point before, you’ll be more productive and efficient because you won’t waste time trying to find things! For other tips on how to be super-productive, check out this post on 15 ways to have the most productive day.

6. Your home is easier to look after

A decluttered home is SO much easier to look after and maintain, less of a burden on your time and energy and much more of a haven from the busy world outside. If there’s less stuff then it’s quicker to tidy up, clear things away, clean and generally keep on top of. Less time cleaning and looking after your home means more time (and energy) to do other things.

You can make it even quicker and easier to look after your home if you put in place some simple routines for your housework and regular chores. Check out this post on 10 routines to keep your home clean and tidy.

7. Your home is ready for visitors

If your home is easier to look after and has less clutter, then it’s easier to keep it looking neat, tidy and ready for visitors (pretty much) at all times. Yes, you might need to do a quick run-around picking up a few things, but nothing that will take longer than a few minutes or that your guests will really notice!

8. Define your style

As you choose what items to keep and what to get rid of, you might notice certain themes recurring. You might find that you tend to keep plain, neutral colours for your clothes and all the pieces you decide not to keep have bold patterns and bright colours. The same could apply to the colours and accessories you decorate your home with.

Decluttering helps you hone down on what you like and what you don’t like so you can define your style and build on it.

9. Make fewer decisions

Defining your style will help you shop more carefully. You might not be tempted to consider buying that floral top when you remember that most of what you have hanging in your closet at home is plain. So, when you go shopping you know to disregard the big, bold patterns and colours and focus your shopping efforts on items you’ll enjoy wearing.

This is just one example of how decluttering our homes can help us make fewer decisions. And, as decisions require energy and effort, you want to avoid making too many decisions or it will lead to decision fatigue!

10. Financial freedom and spend more wisely

When you get used to living with less clutter and learning to be intentional and mindful about what you let into your home, then you’ll probably find that you’ll spend less on stuff that you don’t really need or want. You’ll begin to find other ways to make yourself happy instead of a trip to the shops. You might even save money too! Check out this post on how to shop with intention if you love shopping but hate clutter.

11. Encourages gratitude

Being grateful for what you have and focusing on what’s important to you and your family is so important but easily forgotten in today’s consumerist world. When we’re used to having lots of stuff then we often don’t fully appreciate what we already have. The same is true for both us adults and for kids when they have so many toys they don’t know what to play with first! Try this free Gratitude Challenge to explore and journal your thoughts on gratitude.

12. More time and energy for other things

A decluttered home is not the end goal. Although it’s lovely to have an uncluttered, organised, family-friendly, welcoming home (i.e. a decluttered home), it’s WHAT this decluttered home will give you that’s the real magic. You’ll have time, space, energy, freedom and possibly more money. Just think what all this could mean for you and your family? It’s a question of defining your priorities and finding the balance between looking after your stuff and looking outward to creating your best life.

13. An act of self-care

Decluttering your home and life is a huge act of self-care. So often we think of self-care too little, too late. It’s like sticking a plaster over a wound. Decluttering your home, simplifying life and creating more ease for you generally is one of the greatest gifts you can give your body and brain. Read more about decluttering as self-care.

14. More focus on your priorities

The combined effect of all the benefits of decluttering we’ve looked at here means that you have less pulls on your time, energy, freedom, money, resources and yourself. There’s less clutter to get in your way and distract and remove you from life and the things that matter most.

That means you focus more on what’s important to you in life, your priorities, without having clutter and stuff get in your way.

Benefits of decluttering

WANT TO EXPERIENCE THESE BENEFITS FOR YOURSELF?

If you’re keen to see and feel the benefits of decluttering yourself, here are some articles and resources to help you declutter your home and life.

YOUR NEXT STEP

The benefits of decluttering will look different for everyone and my list might look different to someone else’s. However, I hope some of what I’ve shared inspires you to try decluttering your own home and life, in whatever way that means to you, even if it’s one app or book at a time!

You might find my Declutter Starter Kit helpful. This is a free workbook packed with advice, tips and projects to help you understand the impact of clutter, clear your stuff and keep it away. Pop your details in the box below to receive your copy!