5 Reasons Clutter Is Damaging Your Wellbeing And How To Improve It
A busy home is a happy home. That might be true, but what is it that is making your home too busy? Is it the people? (working/spending more time at home), or is clutter damaging your wellbeing? The sooner you can work this out, the sooner you can be on your way to a life that is far more healthy and happy. Read on for a few common pitfalls which can clutter up your home – and your head.
Bulky Furniture
Bulky furniture in too-small rooms makes the room feel even smaller. Even if you live in a tiny apartment, you deserve some fresh open space. Furniture which has been gifted to you, or moved from another property, may simply be too big for your current space. If you have some pieces that you are particularly attached to or if you are planning on moving somewhere bigger in the future, it may not be as simple as getting rid of it, so consider the option to store your furniture when not in use.
Seek out multi-functional pieces to replace it, such as chairs and stools with ottoman storage, tables which fold down or nest into each other. Sofas which have legs rather than sit on the floor can create a sense of space (plus they are easy to clean under). With the right furniture, you will be able to create a space that is far more open and healthier for you to live in.
Dusty Ornaments
Do you suffer from allergies or asthma? If you do, you need to make sure that you are dusting regularly. Too much dust around your home is going to wreak havoc and it only gets worse if you have a lot of clutter around the place. If you love knick-knacks, that’s fine – embrace them, but get into the habit of dusting around and under each one. Don’t forget your bookcases too! If you have a little library of your own, make sure that you semi-regularly dust your bookshelves to stop the build-up too much. When it comes to ornaments, consider quality over quantity because everything you own needs to be maintained and cleaned so there’s always a trade off.
Too Many Clothes
Everyone loves to make sure they have plenty of nice outfits to wear. However, overflowing wardrobes can make you feel like you have nothing to wear. It can also create a mess and a tumble of clothes that you just don’t want to deal with. A wardrobe declutter can make a real difference to your life. If you have clothes that no longer fit or that you have no reason to wear, give them to charity or to friends. You don’t have to take it all the way back to a capsule wardrobe but losing clothes which don’t make you feel good about yourself is a huge boost and less clothes means more clarity about how to put outfits together which make you feel fabulous.
Poor Lighting
Poor lighting can be incredibly detrimental to our health. The human brain needs lots of natural light during the day, and atmospheric low-level lighting in the evening. If you feel like you have poor lighting in your home, clear out some of the clutter that could be blocking your windows. Swap out thick curtains for lighter ones or blinds, and invest in some warm-coloured bulbs to brighten things up on gloomy days. Repainting walls or furniture in light colours can hugely brighten a room, as can lightening the floors (or using rugs).
In the evenings, consider lamps for dark corners and fairy lights (ideally plugged into the mains so you don’t keep having to change the batteries). Lighting could have a massive impact on your mental wellbeing.
Too Much Stuff
Quite simply, do you have too many belongings for the size of your space? Or do you own things which don’t add value to your life? In today’s society, we can buy at the click of a button, but may not often think about letting go. If you feel like you have hemmed yourself in, then it’s time to take stock of your home and your clutter. Too much could be an indication that you are not allowing yourself to relax in your home – the one place where you should have no trouble doing so. You can start with any room or category (clothes, books etc), or simply start with one drawer or cupboard. Take it bit by bit and make some decisions to throw things out. You could feel so much better.
These are five key areas you may want to look at if you feel like your wellbeing is damaged by the clutter in your home. Though not everyone is made to be tidy all the time and it’s not about perfection, you deserve your home to be the best space it can be. Sometimes, even those of us who love knick-knacks can overdo it. Try simplifying a little if you feel overwhelmed.