As a nation, we are very good at keeping hold of a lot of clutter. A recent survey by HIPPO found that 56% of adults in the UK have a room in their house that is unusable because of clutter. 41% said they feel stressed by the amount of clutter in their homes. This is not good at all so we are here to talk about the benefits of decluttering. 

Within this article we are going to talk through the benefits of decluttering and how it can improve your home and your life. 

1: Increases Focus and Clarity

Many studies have found that clutter is not good for us, in particular it decreases our ability to focus. Our brains are only capable of focusing on a limited amount of stimuli at a time so having a cluttered home or work environment will make it harder for you to focus and think clearly.  A study by Stephanie McMains and Sabine Kastner, published by The Journal of Neuroscience has proven this to be the case. 

Decluttering will increase your ability to focus on your day-to-day tasks and activities. 

2: Improved Mental Health

Another benefit of decluttering is that it will improve your mental health. Clutter affects our mental health because it increases our stress levels. Our homes should be a place to rest and relax but clutter makes it very difficult to do this. 

One study found that women who had more clutter in their homes had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day compared to women who had less clutter.

Decluttering will help to lower the amount of clutter in your home which will allow you to have a more organised space. This in turn will lead to less stress, promote relaxation and improve your mental health. 

3: Boosts Productivity

Along with decreasing our ability to focus, clutter also affects our productivity. Studies have shown that people with cluttered home or work environments are more likely to procrastinate, particularly when it comes to important tasks. 

You may have a large amount of paperwork that needs sorting through but, because the task feels so overwhelming, you don’t do it.   

Decluttering is a great way to maintain an organised workspace. If you run your own business, there are some pieces of paperwork that you have to keep hold of for a period of years. If you don’t have the space to do this without making your workspace cluttered, document storage would be an excellent solution. 

4: Enhances Creativity

A benefit of decluttering is that, through easing stress and increasing focus, you can foster a peaceful environment that is the perfect place for creativity to flourish. 

Having less clutter within your home will allow your thoughts to flow freely and clearly. You will have the focus and productivity levels to see your creative ideas through. Decluttering will enhance your creativity and make your life so much better. 

5: Promotes Better Sleep

On top of everything, clutter also  leads to more sleep disturbances. This is due to the fact that your bedroom, of all places, should be designed to be a restful, relaxing place. Clutter is the antithesis of restful and relaxing and thus it will stop you sleeping well. This will go on to effect your entire day and, if unchecked, can lead to mental health illnesses such as depression. 

As we spend a third of our lives in our bedrooms, they need to be a tranquil environment that promotes rest. Decluttering will help you achieve this.

6: Encourages Healthier Lifestyle Choices

Decluttering will not only aid your mental health but it will also improve your physical health. Dust and allergens accumulate in cluttered areas, triggering respiratory issues and allergies. By decluttering, we create cleaner, healthier environments that support respiratory health. Also, decluttering can enhance physical activity levels by creating more space for movement and exercise, leading to improved fitness and overall well-being. 

Along with this, decluttering improves our mental health which can lead to us wanting to make better decisions in the rest of our lives by improving our diets or increasing our physical activity. 

7: Facilitates Letting Go of the Past

One of the biggest benefits of decluttering is the emotional and psychological benefits. Decluttering can be a cathartic process as you are deciding to let go of items and, in turn, you may be letting go of your past. 

Of course, if you find anything difficult to let go, it is important to take your time and be kind to yourself. Decluttering is a way to make your life better, it is not about forcing yourself to part with things that mean a lot to you. Take your time and remember, Rome was not built in a day. 

Embrace the Decluttering Journey

There are so many benefits to decluttering, all of which will lead you to having a better, healthier, happier life. 

As we have already mentioned, it is important to take your time, starting small by doing a room at a time or even a drawer/cupboard at a time. This will stop it being overwhelming and make it more likely that you will stay consistent which will help you to maintain a decluttered space. 

If during your decluttering, you feel self storage would help the process, our self storage comes in an array of sizes and each unit comes with a flexible rental contract. To find your local Cinch Self Storage store, please click here.