What is clutter? Simply put, clutter is anything that overstays its welcome in our spaces and minds.
Clutter can take many forms, from the physical junk drawer to digital chaos and emotional unrest.
This article delves into its essence and offers strategies for tackling the mess for a clearer, more serene environment.
Key Takeaways
- Clutter is anything that takes up spots in our lives and prevents us from doing things we need or want to do.
- Clutter is more than physical disarray; it includes emotional and digital clutter, all of which can impact our well-being and productivity.
- The accumulation of clutter can create overwhelming feelings, reduce focus, elevate stress, strain interpersonal relationships, and make it seem like possessions are controlling our lives.
- The process of decluttering involves consciously addressing and removing unnecessary items in different aspects of life, followed by organizing and maintaining a clutter-free environment through routine and mindful practices.
What Is Clutter?
Clutter is often more than just a messy room; it’s a complex beast that can manifest in various corners of our lives.
It’s the excess baggage that weighs down our environment and mind, making us feel trapped in our own spaces. To tackle clutter, we must first understand its many faces, emotionally and physically!
These cluttered realms collectively impact our well-being and productivity, and conquering them is the first step toward a decluttered life.
Let me go into detail about the different parts of clutter that take up space in our lives:
Physical Clutter
Physical clutter is the tangible disarray that fills our homes and offices—it’s the real stuff we see that makes us stress out and feel overwhelmed once there is too much clutter.
It’s the piles of paper that I haven’t recycled yet, the clothes we no longer wear, and the cords and electronics I’ve got to convince Kelan we’ll never use.
Life events like moving, a new baby, or illness often contribute to this accumulation as they disrupt our regular tidying routines.
Our lack of efficient systems for dealing with everyday items leads to a build-up that can seem impossible, and avoiding decisions on what to keep only adds to the problem.
I spent so much time focusing on having less clutter and creating checklists and routines to improve our lives!
Emotional Clutter
Emotional clutter is the silent chaos that lives inside us, hidden but weighing down on our shoulders (metaphorically!) by creating a cluttered mind.
Emotional clutter is often perceived as an unrelenting state of overwhelm, a stress that seems sourceless yet impacts every aspect of life.
Pent-up emotions occupy precious mental bandwidth and can sour relationships and daily decisions, often diminishing the sentimental value of our experiences.
My example of emotional clutter? Negative self-talk after really hectic days, feeling like I’m not enough- like when both girls are sick, I’m getting sick, and I tell myself I can’t be the super mom they need.
Digital Clutter
In this digital age, clutter doesn’t just fill our drawers and cabinets – it overflows into our digital lives as well. Digital clutter includes:
- Countless files/downloads
- Emails
- Notifications that clog our devices and distract us from important tasks
- Social media accounts
- Too many apps demanding our attention!
This type of clutter can be insidious, as it often goes unnoticed until it affects our concentration and productivity at work or with chores.
Impact Of Clutter
Clutter isn’t just an eyesore; it’s the force that can leave us feeling overwhelmed, scatterbrained, and stressed to the core.
But how does clutter affect us exactly?
Well, at my hardest moments dealing with clutter, I cried a lot, forgot stuff frequently, and felt like every little thing that went wrong was the end of the world.
It’s not the same for everyone, so let’s talk about some of the side effects that we may deal with when faced with too much clutter:
High-Stress Levels
The chaos of clutter doesn’t just clutter our homes; it elevates our stress levels, impacting both our mental and physical health. Stress isn’t good for us!
Living in a cluttered environment has been shown to increase cortisol levels, the stress hormone, signifying a direct link between the mess around us and the tension within us.
The constant visual reminders of unfinished work can trigger a stress response, making it hard for us to relax and unwind.
This heightened stress can spill over into personal relationships, causing friction and misunderstandings.
Difficulty Focusing
Clutter is also the enemy of focus. A cluttered environment leads to cognitive overload, scattering thoughts and making it harder to concentrate on the task at hand.
With our working memory capabilities reduced, we find ourselves unable to filter out the non-essential and hone in on what truly matters.
This difficulty focusing hinders our productivity and drains our energy as we expend more mental effort trying to navigate the chaos.
Feeling Overwhelmed
Clutter puts our mental faculties into overdrive. As we try to process all the stuff around us, we find ourselves sinking deeper into a state of stress.
This feeling can be paralyzing, as the mind struggles to focus on anything other than the disarray that needs to be addressed.
When we feel overwhelmed by the surrounding items, it can signal the need to declutter and let things go.
Interpersonal Struggles
The clutter that fills our rooms can create barriers, both literal and figurative, between us and the people we care about.
Clutter can easily become a source of conflict in shared living spaces, with family members or roommates clashing over differing standards of tidiness and organization.
The resulting stressful home environment can strain relationships, as stress and frustration are misdirected towards loved ones.
How To Declutter Your Life
Now that we’ve discussed clutter and its impact, we need to take action to say goodbye to it!
Here are my practical steps to declutter various aspects of life, setting the stage for a refreshed, organized, and free existence.
Free Printable Decluttering Checklist (Physical Clutter)
Embarking on the decluttering journey requires a game plan, and a decluttering checklist can be your roadmap to success.
My checklist will guide you through tackling different areas of your home, ensuring nothing is overlooked, and taking care of physical clutter wherever it may be.
My routine helps create a schedule you can follow. I aim for less visual clutter taking up less room and making the process manageable and less daunting.
By following this checklist, you can systematically declutter your entire home and create a more organized and peaceful living space.
And if you’re having trouble deciding what to keep, donate, or toss, I suggest reading up on the Marie Kondo method to narrow down what you need and what you don’t.
Emotional Decluttering
To begin with emotional decluttering, we must first confront the turmoil within ourselves that is impacting our mental health.
Implementing emotional minimalism means sifting through our internal mess, processing and releasing negative emotions, and setting boundaries to protect our emotional space.
You’ve got to find ways to work through any anger, resentment, or loss that you’ve had sitting on your chest and keeping you from finding enjoyment in your daily life.
I started journaling, setting aside time to cry and feel my big feelings, and even saw a therapist for a while to work out problems that weighed me down.
Digital Decluttering
In the digital realm, decluttering means purging our devices of unnecessary files, emails, and apps.
I got rid of some social apps, set a limit to when and how long I could play on my phone for, and did some fun cleanup like going through photos (perfect time to make photo albums!).
Establishing a routine for managing our digital presence can prevent the accumulation of digital clutter, saving us time and mental energy.
By adopting habits such as setting specific times to check emails and social media, we can mitigate digital interruptions and maintain a more productive workflow.
Tips For Organizing After Decluttering
Once the clutter has been cleared, the next step is to organize and maintain the newfound order to prevent clutter from coming back to stay.
From deep cleaning to establishing routines and making mindful purchasing decisions, there are strategies to ensure that your decluttered space remains a source of calm and efficiency.
These tips will help you transform your decluttered space into a well-organized oasis that’s easy to manage and enjoyable to live in.
Deep Clean
After the clutter is gone, a deep clean breathe of new life into your space. Get those cleaning supplies ready, Mama!
This involves not just a surface clean but getting into every nook and cranny, from baseboards to windows to the undersides of furniture.
Thorough cleaning after decluttering not only refreshes your environment but also sets the tone for a new, clutter-free chapter in your home.
And, of course, I have a free deep-cleaning printable to help you get everything spruced up and ready for a new chapter in life.
Get Organizers To Simplify Stuff
Organizers and storage containers are the allies in the battle against the return of clutter. Here are some essential tools to invest in:
- Drawer dividers for your junk drawer
- Shelves
- Storage containers
- Bins
- Hooks
By investing in these, you can ensure that every item, including the remotes and odds and ends from your coffee table, has a proper home.
Oh, and if you’re worried about spending a lot of money, check out Dollar Tree organizers and see what storage solutions you can get for less cost!
I try to be as frugal as possible, and I will get storage shelves from thrift stores or Dollar Tree to avoid spending all my money on boxes and bins to hold all our stuff.
Get A Cleaning Schedule
A cleaning schedule is the backbone of a consistently clutter-free home. Consistency is key, and a cleaning schedule is your strategy for long-term organizational success.
By designating specific times for daily, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks, you create a rhythm that prevents clutter from creeping back in.
This can include sorting and organizing as part of your routine to ensure that every item remains in its place and that nothing accumulates into clutter again.
Buy Less/Donate More
To sustain a decluttered life, adopt the philosophy of buying less and donating more.
Regularly review your possessions and donate items that you no longer need or use, thus giving them a second life and keeping your home clutter-free.
This habit not only benefits your own space but also supports your community and the environment.
Before making a purchase, consider whether the item is truly necessary and how it will fit into your space. If you do buy new stuff, do “one in, one out” so that you don’t collect too much.
Declutter Often
Decluttering isn’t a one-time event; it’s an ongoing process.
Set aside time for periodic cleanup sessions to address areas that tend to attract clutter, such as closets and drawers, plus those kitchen counters!
I try to declutter the main spots in our house every other month, especially the clothes and toys since we always seem to have so many!
FAQs
What is the meaning of clutter?
It isn’t hard to define clutter. The word clutter boils down to the excess of unnecessary or too many belongings that create an overwhelming environment in our homes and lives.
Clutter can be physical, digital, or emotional, and each type can negatively impact our well-being and productivity, making it essential to address.
When you’re faced with so much stuff that you feel like your things own your home, then you know the clutter is creating too much chaos.
What’s a good example of clutter around the house?
Clutter can manifest in various forms around the house, such as piles of unsorted mail, overflowing closets with clothes we never wear, and kitchen cabinets filled with unused gadgets.
It also includes those items we keep out of obligation or guilt, like gifts we don’t like but feel compelled to keep.
Recognizing these common examples can help you identify and tackle clutter in your own home.
When does clutter become a problem at home?
Clutter becomes a significant problem when it starts to decrease your quality of life. When your home feels smaller and more overwhelming, it’s time to take action.
If clutter is causing stress, disrupting sleep, leading to arguments, or making you late because you can’t find what you need, it has become a detrimental issue in your home.
How do I declutter my house?
Decluttering your house can seem like a mountainous task, but with a structured approach, it’s entirely achievable.
Start small with manageable projects, using my free printables can help make that easier than planning it all out yourself!
Through sorting, donating, selling, or discarding, you can systematically declutter your home, ultimately creating a more peaceful and enjoyable environment.
Is organizing the same as decluttering?
Organizing and decluttering are two distinct processes, although they are often used interchangeably.
Decluttering is the act of removing excess items from your space (aka reducing what you own), while organizing is creating a system for what you keep (aka putting what you own where it belongs).
The decluttering process should come first. Pare down to the essentials and let go of items that no longer serve a purpose.
Organizing comes next, store and arrange the items you decide to keep so that they are functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Final Thoughts
Whatever clutter you’re dealing with, each type has a profound effect on our well-being and quality of life.
But you can tackle that clutter little by little, Mama, and manage your home with some help and a game plan.
The journey to a clutter-free life is not a sprint; it’s a marathon. Use my practical tips, my free checklists, and organizing strategies I’ve shared to embark on your decluttering journey.
With each item you remove, each email you delete, and each negative thought you release, you’re taking a step towards a lighter, more joyful existence.
So, take a deep breath, Mama; you’ve got this! Let’s declutter our homes and lives one step at a time.
