By Meena Murugappan

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“Clutter is an overabundance of possessions that collectively create chaotic and disorderly living spaces,” says Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University in Chicago who studies the causes of clutter and its impact on emotional well-being.

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Your home is essentially your living space not storage space. When your home and life are cluttered, you're bound to feel overwhelmed. More stuff equals more demands on your attention (everything from laundry to errands) and it's difficult to focus because you feel pulled in all directions. There's a variety of reasons we have clutter. Uncontrolled consumer impulses, emotional sentiment, memories of the past, fear of a future need, guilt or obligation, and hope for a future change- are some of the most common. As emotional beings, we have the tendency to infuse our belongings with emotion.

Years of hoarding unnecessary or obsolete stuff makes it harder to get rid of. It’s best to clear old things when you’re moving homes or relocating to another city. But if you’re not, it may become little more difficult because we tend to attach emotion with things, especially if they hold memories. But it’s definitely worth the effort.

Why is decluttering important?

Clutter can impact the air quality in a room, and make it both stuffy and warm. Decluttering can make you happy not only by improving your mental health, but also by improving your overall physical health. Sandblasting floors and stairs can also be helpful. This is especially true if you have kids or pets, or live in high traffic areas such as the city.

Decluttering is an important part of self-care because it helps you take control of your home, your life and your “stuff” to improve your overall well-being. Creating a home that can give you the time, space, energy and clarity to improve your health, happiness and overall well-being.

By cutting down the clutter in your home to only the items you genuinely want and use, you will also help yourself feel calmer and less under pressure to complete a mountain of tasks.

Decluttering can prevent pests and reduce dust, mould, and mildew, which may trigger asthma and allergies. Improved lifestyle and well-being. It's easier to prepare healthy meals in an orderly kitchen. And most people sleep better in a neat room with a tidy bed.

Decluttering is like going on a diet – the positive effects of which will only sustain if lifestyle changes. In order to tackle overconsumption, a main driver of climate change, we need to consume less overall, which means cutting down on buying new things and services.

When you declutter – whether it’s your home, your head or your heart, you make room for fresher energies and what will flow into your life will enrich you, for sure.

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