How decluttering can boost your mental health
Declutter your Home, Declutter Your Mind
Make Decluttering Your New Year’s Resolution
If you missed the memo on decluttering before January – not to worry! There is no time like the start of a new year to assess what areas of your home need extra attention when it comes to organizing. And here’s the main reason why: cleaning up your living space has a positive impact on your mental health. Research has shown that there is a strong correlation between clutter and high levels of stress and anxiety. So, here are a few simple steps to take in order to declutter your home and boost your well-being for 2022.
Assess Your Living Space
Take a pen and paper and go on a tour of your home to properly assess which spaces need the most attention. Maybe you’ve got an overflowing closet or you hide everything under the bed. Writing down the areas that need work helps you to prioritize and make a plan. At this phase, it is also helpful to do some inventory on what you have in your closets, drawers and hiding spaces. Once you know how much stuff you have, you can begin to think about storage solutions for things that don’t need to be tucked away in every nook and cranny of your home all year long.
Look For Practical Storage Solutions
Sometimes decluttering a space can quickly turn into moving one pile of clutter to another – even when you have the best of intentions. Before you start moving things around, explore different storage options. Maybe you need more shelves in your bedroom closet for clothes and shoes. Or perhaps when you did your inventory you noticed you have a lot of things that are seasonal – like sports equipment, holiday decor or summer gear – that can easily be kept at a storage unit until you need them again. Once you have a plan for where to store your stuff, it makes it much easier to organize your space.
Start Small
Trying to tackle every space at once is overwhelming and you might lose motivation to keep going. To avoid more stress, start with the smaller areas first. Maybe that looks like starting with one room one day and tackling another room at a later date. There is no rule that says decluttering has to happen all at once! Choose a space that feels manageable to work on and begin by removing all the stuff you no longer want to keep. Then, take a look at what is left and see how you might organize and store things in a way that makes the space more liveable. Maybe that bike you keep in the corner of your hallway is best kept at a storage locker, given that you won’t be riding anywhere in the middle of winter. And those decorations you didn’t get around to? Those can also be sent to storage, so they stay safe. The goal is to create room for things that you use more often.
Find A Friend To Help
It is always helpful to have a second set of eyes to help you assess what areas need decluttering and what items are worth keeping, giving away or storing. Moreover, having your friend or partner help you declutter makes the job easier, less stressful and it can even be an opportunity to have fun as you reimagine your living space with someone you trust. As an added bonus, they can help you transport things to storage, so you don’t have to move things on your own!
When you clear your living space, you clear your mind. Begin the new year feeling calmer, more organized and with more room to focus on the things that truly matter – your health, happiness and relationships.
