Five decluttering tactics to reduce stress in your home
Stress is one of the most common issues we struggle with when it comes to our mental health and we can often feel like it’s following us around.
Of course, we’re likely to deal with it at work, but then it can end up in our relationships, our friendships and even just tidiness around the house. More and more of us are suffering with stress these days, with many requiring to check in to a private mental health clinic to get the help they need.
From treatment, it’s clear that living a simpler and clutter-free life is important. And that begins at home. Decluttering around the house can have a significant impact on improving mental health. After all, they say tidy home, tidy mind.
So, if you’re struggling a little and you’re finding that your home is becoming a little cluttered and messy, here are five tactics that can help you relieve stress.
The Power of Purging
The first step to creating a stress-free environment is to become more ruthless with your decluttering. Marie Kondo is famed for her philosophy on tidying, and taking that step can be useful.
Take each item in your home and ask, “does this spark joy?” If the answer is no, then it may be time to part ways with it. That could be old clothes, gadgets, knick-knacks or anything else. It’s all about identifying the unnecessary clutter and freeing your home from it.
Organisational Systems
A good way to ensure your house is less cluttered is by becoming more organised with how you store items. Investing in storage solutions such as baskets, bins, shelving and more allows you to store your belongings in a much neater fashion.
You can then allocate areas for different items, keeping everything in a designated place and making for a much more organised mind in the process. Operating a one-in, one-out policy will also prevent clutter from accumulating further.
Daily Decluttering Rituals
Decluttering can actually be a therapeutic exercise and undertaking it daily, perhaps early evening can be a great way to destress.
All you need to do is set aside 10 minutes or so each day and clear countertops, put away dishes, fold laundry and put everything back in its rightful place.
The process itself can provide you with a sense of control while seeing a tidy home at the end of it can not only provide a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction but also allow you to truly relax.
Digital Detox
Today our homes are not just cluttered with possessions, but also virtual clutter. Emails, notifications on our smartphones and digital files can all contribute to this type of stress we have in our lives.
However, you can declutter your inbox, clear notifications and organise files too to ensure that you restore balance and calm in your home.
Setting boundaries for technology is also important in decluttering your mind. Set screen time limits and establish tech-free ones, such as in the dining area or in the bedroom, which will help create a much calmer environment and encourage relaxation.
Mindful Consumption
Finally, adopting a more mindful approach to purchasing items for the home can be really useful. Before making a purchase, stop and consider whether the item is necessary and will add value to your life.
This can be useful in preventing impulse buys and in turn, will not only stop your home from cluttering but also allow you to take a more quality-over-quantity approach to life which can add significant benefit to your overall mental health.
Jenny Kakoudakis likes to blog about interiors. She launched award-winning Seasons in Colour in 2014. When she is not chasing criminals out of the financial system (her day job), she gets creative by redecorating her own home.
Download her free bathroom renovation guide here.
