Did you know that clutter causes ANXIETY and definitely causes us to feel over whelmed and out of control. Experts say that clutter can lead to many negation side effects, including stress, fatigue and illness, as well as an increased risk of safety hazards.
One definition of a pack rat is some one who collects especially unneeded items and rarely throws anything away.
The ADAA lists these signs and symptoms as warnings of hoarding behavior:
- Inability to throw away possessions
- Severe anxiety when attempting to discard items
- Great difficulty categorizing or organizing possessions
- Indecision about what to keep or where to put things
- Distress, such as feeling overwhelmed or embarrassed by possessions
- Suspicion of other people touching items
- Obsessive thoughts and actions: fear of running out of an item or of needing it in the future; checking the trash for accidentally discarded objects
- Functional impairments, including loss of living space, social isolation, family or marital discord, financial difficulties, health hazards
Need a few tips for getting organized?
- First learn to stop hoarding useless clutter – newspapers, magazines, etc.
- Start small. I will not lie to you. Removing the clutter from a house can be hard and overwhelming to think about – so don’t over think it! Pick a room and start with one area – an example would be to clean the area the kitchen table on one day and clean under the sink the next day. All you need to do it set aside 15 to 20 minutes a day to clean and declutter one area.
- Take before and after pictures. This is actually what jump started me to declutter over three years ago. I noticed how much stuff was in the photos. We as humans tend to overlook what we are used to living in – the picture seems to make everything “jump out ” at you.
- First the quickest way to gt organized is to get rid of the trash each day – old newspapers, shopping list, wrapping paper, plastic shopping bags, etc. Having trouble deciding if it is trash? Ask yourself these questions:
- Do you use this item regular or have you already used and really don’t need it again?
- Do you love it?
- Do you believe that you have to keep it because either it was gift or has sentimental value?
- Do you have multiples of it and do you need more than one?
- Is it broken?
- Could you use the space for more important things?
- Do you have something else that does the same job easier?
5. Remove clutter from viewing areas (counter tops, tables, etc.) first than work on the hidden areas (closed cabinets, drawers, closets, etc.) 6. Thin out things you have multiples of. How many travel mugs, coffee mugs, stuffed toys do you really need? Keep only what you have room for or need. 7. Make a plan and start. I have found a great declutter plan online that I have used for the last three years. Yes, I said three years! I revisit each task yearly to make sure I keep the clutter down and there are a few projects that I am still working on , like that photo project (it takes awhile to organize 60+ years of pictures LOL). 8. Last, don’t expect a declutter house overnight. It took years to get into the mess you may be facing and it will take a while to straighten it all out – but it is well worth the effort. The house will “feel” lighter and it will be easier to clean. You will soon find that it will become a habit to go around each night and pick up and put things away once you have decided were they really belong.
DIY with Kathy! 