Declutter to Relieve Stress
Are you finding it hard to relax or concentrate? Do you feel on edge and don’t know why? Your brain may be telling you your living arrangements need to improve. Decluttering may be the answer.
Clutter can build up over time. You may not notice it. Clutter is sneaky that way. But that does not mean you are not affected by it in a negative way. The example pictures you see below, are not considered a really bad case of clutter. But the areas shown could easily become one if not dealt with soon enough.
Declutter to Sell Your Home
If selling your home is your goal and impetus to declutter, then the approach is a little different. Not only are you removing items that cause over stimulation, you also remove personal items as well. Photographs of you and your family on the walls and furniture will not help a prospective buyer to picture themselves living in your house. The space, beauty, functionality, and architectural features of the house has to increase in prominence while you and your family’s presence and history should become much more subtle.
Cluttered Kitchen
Decluttered Kitchen
Cluttered Living Room
Decluttered Living Room
Cluttered Living Room
Decluttered Living Room
Cluttered Dining Area
Decluttered Dining Area
Decluttering a Cluttered Kitchen
Decluttering Kitchen
How do you start decluttering?
- Get back to the basics – Take everything out of the areas that are not needed. This will help you purge and decide what you can’t do without and what you can give up.
- Embrace negative space – This may feel strange at first. You are used to being surrounded but now you can move around more freely and your eyes have places to rest so that your brain is not always overly stimulated. You will be more relaxed and be able to think more clearly.
- Be more thoughtful about what you add back into the space – I would suggest living with the way things are in #2 for a few days. If things look too bland or the space feels too empty, be very selective about what you bring back in. This will give you the opportunity look at your home with a new perspective. You may ask yourself “why didn’t I do this long ago?” It can be very liberating to come out from under the clutter and into a space that you truly enjoy.
- Look at your home from a buyer’s perspective – Is there anything around that would distract their attention from the house and onto you, your style, your work, your stuff? If your clothes are stuffed in the closets from top to bottom, remove what you aren’t using by season. They need to feel that this house is spacious and adequate for their needs.
