Decluttering Makes More Space for Life

Ever wonder why it feels so difficult to maintain a tidy space? Physics has the answer. The second law of thermodynamics states that in a closed system, entropy (a state of randomness or uncertainty) will always increase. In straight talk, this means all things trend towards disorder.

While our dwellings and offices don’t exactly qualify as a closed or isolated system, they are real-life examples of how things naturally become chaotic and disorderly. In our homes and workspaces, it’s called clutter. Decluttering, the act of restoring order to a space, requires effort. With a few simple strategies, decluttering and its associated health benefits can be achieved and maintained.

Kill the Chaos

Decluttering can feel like it demands hours that our busy schedules cannot spare. There is irony in this. The act of decluttering may be exactly what’s needed to help use time more efficiently.

“Decluttering allows the home or business owner to remove distractions,” says David Hall, founder of A+ Clutter Clearing. “Too much stuff cripples us from productivity, leaving us with piles of distractions that don’t go away until we take action. My trademark statement is, ‘Clear the clutter . . . clear the mind.’”

The Emotional Toll

Hall is onto something. Clutter makes spaces feel chaotic, scattered and confusing, which affects our physical and mental health. Think of the stress associated with not being able to find car keys, wallet, reading glasses or phone. Not only is time lost searching for these items, but a person typically feels frantic and frustrated while doing so, especially if they are already running late.

Hall explains, “With clutter, we experience stress, anxiety and a sense that we are out of control of our interior environment. Seeing piles of magazines, bills, papers, laundry and holding onto unsorted garage items hems us in and makes us feel small and simply out of control.”

Founder of Productive Environment Institute and author Barbara Hemphill has been decluttering homes for 44 years. She calls clutter “postponed decisions” and points out that its presence can lead to more dire consequences than a moment of stress.

“Clutter often destroys relationships, diminishes careers and creates physical and mental diseases,” Hemphill says.

Serenity Simplified

If it were easy to attain a clutter-free environment, it would not be such an often-discussed topic. But the reality is that many people struggle to minimize the clutter in their lives. Hemphill believes that a big contributor to the postponed decisions that lead to clutter is fear.

“There can be fear of making a mistake, offending someone, being irresponsible, forgetting something or getting rid of something and wanting it back,” Hemphill says. “But the biggest stumbling block is going through the emotion of letting go.”

To that end, Hall offers suggestions for successful decluttering efforts. The most common mistake he sees is beginning with too ambitious of a decluttering project. In these instances, the chance for getting overwhelmed and failing is high.

“The solution is to start small and see results,” Hall says. “Just one newly designed drawer, shelf or cabinet helps build momentum to try and tackle another drawer, shelf or room.”

Hall often sees people purchase bins and organizers for closets and drawers before purging their belongings. He feels it’s better to purge first, see what goes where, then purchase only what is truly required. A person may find they have netted more space than they originally anticipated.

“In many of my projects, I’m able to recover 25-30% more room on existing shelves, cabinets and drawers,” Hall says.

Don’t Trash It

Another step in the decluttering process is deciding what to do with all the stuff. Letting go and downsizing material goods is an opportunity to donate to charities looking for gently used items. This can come with a tax benefit. Other alternatives include selling items online, taking them to a consignment store or using an app, like BuyNothing, which pairs people who have something to give away with people who are seeking that same object.

Decluttering is also an opportunity to reduce bloated consumerism and collecting quantities of unnecessary stuff. Purchasing less overall is a good strategy for saving time and money. Let the spirit of reducing material goods carry into being committed to making all future purchases meaningful and thoughtful.

Finally, Hall advises that keeping a space decluttered requires maintenance. Once a counter or desktop is cleaned, the job is not truly done. The real work and health benefit comes from making a clutter-free environment a lifelong habit.