20 "Less" Benefits of decluttering

Decluttering is reducing. When we declutter, we don't realize that we reduce a lot more than just stuff. Here are 20 things that we will have less of, when we declutter.

1. Less debt.

When we declutter, we automatically get in to the habit of spending less. Since we just spent lots of time getting rid of stuff, it is less likely for us to go out and buy again. A big part of our debts are related to the stuff we buy. The less we buy, the more we save. So when we stop buying, we stop adding to our debt. With decluttering, we could actually make money. By selling the unwanted stuff of e-bay, Garage sale or Craigslist the extra money can help us to pay of some debt.

2. Less vulnerable to the changes in economy.

 

Decluttering has a mental effect of not needing the material possession to get happy. A person that lives a declutter life, finds out that, happiness does not come with owning stuff. When the economy had a down turn, people that looked for their happiness in materials, had the hardest time emotionally. With a down economy, the first thing that had to change, was our spending habit. When you don't depend on stuff for your happiness, this problem becomes secondary and it will not effect your overall life.

3. Less spending.

 

With a decluttered house and garage, there is a lower chance you will fill it up again with stuff. Just remembering all the hard work that was put in to decluttering, makes us think twice before we bring more stuff home. Thus we spend less on stuff.

4. Less effect on environment.

 

When we live a decluttred life, we create less garbage and use less resources to maintain and clean our stuff. We also buy less that will reduce our dependency on natural resources. The added benefit is that buying less, reduces our carbon footprint.

5. Less house needed.

 

The empty spaces we create with decluttering, cause our house to look bigger. I remember, hearing many times, people saying" i need more room for my stuff" . Well, when you have less stuff, you will need less room. A smaller house with less maintenance will be enough and satisfying for you.

6. Less to organize.

 

The less stuff you have, the less time you will spend organizing. It is so much easier to organize fewer items than a house full of stuff. We all spend a big part of our lives organizing our stuff. There are even businesses and specialists that help us get organize. With owning less, the organization process can be a lot faster, simpler and more pleasant.

7. Less to clean.

 

Imagine a house with only necessary items. Imagine a closet with less than 20 items. Imagine a kitchen with only what you need. Now imagine cleaning it. Nice, isn't it? The less you have, the easier it is to clean. Cleaning a room full of stuff, even if they are organized, is a lot harder chore than cleaning a semi empty room. When you reduce, you reduce your work too.

 

 

8. Less to pack and move.

 

Talk to somebody, any body, about moving and just look at the expression on their face. Is it fear? Is it being overwhelmed? Is the look in their eyes saying "It is just impossible"? Packing and moving has been voted to be one of the most stressful things in life for us American people. Now imagine if you owned 1/2 of the stuff you have now. Wouldn't be easier to move? How about 1/4?. Decluttering can change the packing and moving process from being one of the most dreaded acts to something very easy, doable and fast.

 

 

9. Less taxes due to donations.

 

Donations can give you a very nice Tax break. Decluttering and donating, is not only rewarding, but also is financially helpful. You might not think about it now, but at the end of the year, when you are doing your taxes, the little donation receipt will make you very happy.

 

10. Less duplicate buying.

 

Not too long ago, i was talking to somebody. When i told her that i live a minimalistic life, she said if i go to their home, i will get a heart attack. We laughed about it. But then she said something interesting. She said that they keep buying stuff, then they forget about it and leave it in garage. A few months later, it happens that they see the same item in store and remember that they wanted it, but then, since they don't remember where it is, they just buy another one. She said her husband has around 5 tool boxes. Because when he needs something and can't find it, he just goes out and buys a whole new tool box, because he usually find a very good deal. If we just spend some time and declutter our homes, we can find stuff so much easier and we save a lot, not buying the duplicate item. I remember in our old home, we found many many extension cords that we didn't even know we owned. Every time we needed one, we just bought one without thinking that we might already have one.

 

 

11. Less unfinished tasks.

 

The burden of unfinished tasks can be very stressful. All those half way done projects that are cluttering your home, the ones that you just can not get yourself to finish, can be a huge weight on your shoulders. Some times, you just have to let them go. Either get help to finish them, or donate the unfinished items and let someone else finishes them. You make someone happy and reduce the load of stuff you need to do.

12. Less mental clutter.

 

The cluttered home is not only feeling like a thorn in the eyes, but also it could be a huge mental stressor. When you have a cluttered space, there is no room for your mind to feel free. The visual clutter occupies a big part of your mind. Have you ever been in a situation that you are having a very big test the next day, But can not focus untill you clean your space first? This is a perfect example of correlation between visual and mental clutter.

13. Less stress.

 

This one is related to all of the above, yet it is a big one. The clutter is a huge source of stress. When you declutter, the burden of  all that unfinished work, untidy space, long unfinished and overwhelming to do lists, the debt, expense and the cleaning process will be reduces. Thus the stress associated with them will be reduced too.

14. Less diseases.

 

Decluttering causes less stress, less dust and less time cleaning. The combination of all these causes  a stronger immune system and less disease and illness. There have been studies that showed a direct relationship between having more stuff and being overweight. Decluttering makes room in your home and your life for you to move around more and take care of yourself. You can clean faster and more efficient. A clean, decluttered, organized and dust free home is a pleasure to have. It makes us feel good.

 

 

15. Less financial mess.

 

Having a decluttered desk, help you to keep track of your bills and paperwork. when your space is cluttered, there is a higher chance for paperwork and important statements to get lost. A financial mess can case a lot of problems. A nice and neat system in a clutter free office, makes it a lot easier for us to take care of our paperwork.

 

 

16. Less work for the money.

 

Many people succeeded to reduce their hours, or even become one income family due to decluttering. Decluttering reduces the expenses and reduces the debts. When you have less of everything, you have less maintenance expense. You don't need to work as hard to keep up with your life and your debts. You can choose to spend less time working and more time living.

 

 

17. Less overstimulation of mind.

 

Clutter can overstimulate our brains. Specially on kids, it can create lack of focus and attention due to having too many items in our space. I remember when i signed my daughter up in a reading class. At the end of the class, i asked her how did it go? she said" I didn't learned much. All the stuff on the walls and around me didn't let me listen to the teacher" Cute, but sad. Every where we go, i see this overstimulaiton. The houses , the stores, the schools and our kids lives are packed with stuff. The less clutter, the more room for thinking and creating.

 

 

18. Less dust.

 

Clutter attract dust. Cleaning a house or a room full of stuff is a lot harder than cleaning a half empty space. Dust is very bad for our health. It seats in our longs and can cause astma and allergies. When we de-clutter, it is so much easier to vaccum and dust. De-cluttering help us having a cleaner house with less effort.

 

 

19. Less time looking for something.

 

This one is also a big one. Looking for something in the middle of a room full of clutter and stuff, could drive one creazy. When decluttering, make sure you have a place for everything in your home and place everything back to where it blongs. Hopefully you will never again have to look for something in a cluttered room. Looking for something in a room full of stuff, feels like finding a needle in a heystack. It is not fun.

20. Less procrestinating.

 

The overwheming feeling that comes with clutter, causes us to procrestinate. Just thinking, about doing something is tireing in a clutteres place. When you declutter, it is so much easier to do our tasks and get things done. It is very helpful to know where everything is and not have to fight a mental and visual clutter , so we can focus on the task in hand.

Have you decluttered yet?