No one wants to live in a cluttered home, yet many Brits do. We leave precariously balanced stacks of paperwork on our desk, litter the coffee table with piles of magazines and dump footwear and sports equipment by the front door. Is it any wonder we arrive late to meetings or can’t find a pair of matching socks?
Decluttering has become an art in itself and has increased in popularity over the last few years, especially following the release of Marie Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”. Social media platforms such as Instagram and TikTok are awash with videos showcasing immaculate homes, with organisation tips on everything from storing clothes to creating an aesthetically pleasing fridge. Let’s explore the art of decluttering and how it could benefit you.
Reduced stress
Having less clutter around the house can help you to be more organised in your daily life. If belongings are neatly tidied away, it will be easier to find things when you need them, so you won’t have the last-minute stress of hunting for an item you urgently need right before you leave the house. Avoiding this panic can reduce stress and anxiety and make you more likely to feel calm and level-headed on a daily basis.
Improved confidence
When your home is full of old junk or looking generally untidy, it’s likely you won’t invite friends to visit or socialise at home. Many people feel ashamed or embarrassed about the state of their home when it isn’t looking its best.
Tidying away clutter and organising your belongings can inspire confidence and may make you feel more secure about inviting friends over for a cup of tea or having the in-laws tostay for a weekend. Having an active social life and maintaining friendships is an essential component of good mental health, so a decluttered home could make for a happier you.
More space for activities
Clearing your home of clutter can free up a surprising amount of living space, particularly if you were guilty of leaving belongings on the floor or around the perimeter of a room. Once you’ve created some extra space, you’ll have more flexibility around the activities you can do at home.
A once-cluttered living room could become a space to practise yoga or take on a Joe Wicks workout with the family. Exercising at home can make it easier to stay fit and healthy, especially as we move into the winter months.
You could make money
Tidying our space often leads us to find things we had forgotten we owned. In fact, a recent study by a financial services provider revealed the average UK household could be hiding hundreds or even thousands of pounds worth of vintage treasures.
Items you may have tucked away in the attic could be worth a significant amount of cash. Pokémon card collections have an average listing price of £69.33, while collections containing extremely rare cards could be worth up to £10,000. First edition Harry Potter books could also be worth a chunk of cash. They have an average listing price of £73.13 but arepotentially valued at a whopping £6,800!
