“Letting go of physical clutter also declutters the mind and soul.” – April Williams
Look around your home. What do you see?
Are you surrounded by clutter? By items that you don’t need, don’t use and don’t serve you where you are in your life today?
Or do you look around and feel at peace? Is your home the place you go when you need to relax, feel comfortable and get away from the noise of the world?
A cluttered home can lead to stress, anxiety, overwhelm and a lack of productivity in your life. When your space is filled with clutter, everyday tasks can become more difficult to take care of and it can be hard to find the light at the end of the “stuff.”
Here’s the thing, it’s completely normal to accumulate stuff over the years. From papers and sentimental items to old clothes and outdated decor, it’s easy to find yourself with a home full of items you don’t even want and not realize it. Does this sound familiar? But, at some point, you have to realize that material items don’t equal happiness. In fact, the opposite is true.
The happiness and peace you are looking for is buried underneath all your possessions. Beneath all of the clutter in your home and in your home. And you will only find it once you finally clear the clutter.
Below are 5 of the amazing benefits that will happen when you get rid of the stuff you no longer need and make space for the things that bring joy to your life!
1. Less time cleaning and tidying.
It’s simple really: when you own less, you have less to clean. Less toys to pick up at the end of the day. Less items to tidy on the weekend. And less time cleaning means more time for hobbies, doing absolutely nothing and spending time with people who you love.
To be honest, the list of benefits to decluttering is endless but this is my favorite one. (Hence why I put it first!) Before I decluttered, I had gotten to a point in my life where I was spending so much time cleaning and straightening. And I couldn’t stand it anymore. Between the kid’s toys, the papers, the laundry and the stuff, I was in over my head.
Today, my day is not spent tidying up my house or cleaning up messes. My days are spent reading, playing, exploring, baking and relaxing. And yours can be too!
2. More space in your home = more space in your head.
It has been proven time and time again that living or working in a cluttered space has a direct impact on your mental health, creativity, productivity and emotions. When you declutter your home, you open up more space in your mind for a more productive and peaceful life. For you to focus on yourself, your needs and your mind.
You will be able to breathe deep again.
3. Fall back in love with your space.
One of the most unexpected benefits of decluttering my home was how in love I felt again with my space. When I was in the process of getting rid of the stuff in my home, I started looking at it through a new set of eyes. It felt fresh and new.
Sometimes, when we feel out of sync or bored with our home, our first reaction is to re-decorate or buy new stuff. And it may seem counter-intuitive but what if, instead of adding to your home with new stuff, you removed the things you don’t love or need and only kept what brings a smile to your face.
Remove all the items from your home that don’t speak to you and where you are in your life and you’ll be surprised how your feelings toward your home will change!
4. You will relax and get better sleep.
Have you ever tried to relax or fall asleep somewhere where you weren’t comfortable? Yeah. Doesn’t work, right?
Your home is no different. When your space, especially your bedroom, is filled with clutter it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and hard to relax. And one of the best ways to ensure a good night’s sleep is the ability to shut off at the end of the day. But, when everywhere you look in your bedroom is covered with clutter or items that don’t bring joy to you, your sleep is effected.
Spend some time clearing the clutter from your bedroom and your sleep will improve which will in turn change the way your days look!
5. Gratitude for what you already have.
Last, but not least, gratitude.
When you are surrounded by clutter, so much of the time you don’t even know what you have. You tend to buy multiples of things or waste money on items you don’t even need because you have no idea what is already in your home. But, when you spend time going through your things and seeing what you actually own, you start to become grateful for all the things you have in your possession.
At the end of the day, most of us already have what we need in our homes. We just don’t even realize it yet!
What is one of the benefits you have found from decluttering your home?