Benefits of Living with Less Clutter

S1 Ep 2| Benefits of Living with Less Clutter 

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Maggie: Welcome to episode two of the mind Your Clutter podcast. If you tuned in for episode one and listen

to me answer the number one question that [00:01:00] I always receive, then you know today we are talking about the benefits of living with less clutter, and when I say less clutter, I mean less physical items in your home .

That of course can translate to less clutter in other areas of your life. But mainly this pertains to the amount of items in your home, and certainly incorporating tidiness and some organized systems along with it. None of these benefits. are addressing the need for a Pinterest perfect home. That is not what we are here to discuss.

We are here to discuss the benefits of living with less clutter

there is a lot of research around the benefits of living with less clutter. . and all of the [00:02:00] benefits that we're gonna talk about today.

 But these alone, in addition to the studies that were done, these are real life examples of benefits that I have encountered and benefits that my clients have encountered in real time, in real life, not just on paper, not just some statistic.

I have seen the benefits. improve my client's homes and health. And the same goes for myself. And that's what I want for you. And that is why we're here, so that we can all benefit from living with less clutter and more of you. So let's dive in. 

Benefit number one, living with less clutter can simplify your life.

It is underestimated how, a, knowing where to find things,[00:03:00] and B, knowing where things should be returned to, can make or break your day . , there are less places to look for things when you have less clutter, which of course gets you out of the door faster, with less frustration and a little less, stress during your day and in your day, throughout your day at home, in the kitchen, in your closet at work . knowing where to find things. And then of course, knowing where to put things back is something that you live with every day. And just by living with less clutter, you can simplify those processes so that it's easier for you. . Now, of course, I know anyone who is out there with children 

you may find that it doesn't matter if there's a place to look for something or to [00:04:00] return something, that things don't always make it there. But there will be less places to look. and less options for things getting lost when there's less clutter.

The second benefit of living with less clutter. Is being able to reclaim your time

 When you live with less clutter, there is less to clean, there is less to maintain, there is more time for you to do what matters most and certainly on the front end.

of decluttering that will take some of your dedicated time. You may have to carve out a time period for you to address just decluttering, and that might be a little bit more time than you want, but if you start it now, what you do today can reclaim your time [00:05:00] tomorrow. . And even if you can't do a big decluttering right now, and you can start small, every minute that you're putting in now will reclaim your time in the long run.

Number three, the third benefit to living with less clutter. Regain open space. 

Space does not need to be filled . because when there is a clear space, it is easier for you to have a clear mind.

There are less distractions. There is energy that is easier to flow through the space, and it is safer when you have open clutter free spaces. So focus on regaining and finding that open space that is currently under the clutter. You may feel that you don't live in a house that's big enough [00:06:00] to store what you have, but what if you had less clutter?

How would your house feel differently? those open spaces, whether that open space is a clear counter, whether that open space is a clear floor, whether that open space is room to open a closet and put something in and take it out without having to shuffle around the clutter . Space can be found in so many different places of your home that it will actually allow you to see and appreciate your home for what it is, and then to tune in and tap in to that space and its boundaries, and then you have more space just to think and make decision.

The fourth benefit to living with less. Clutter 

Is. Is All the areas

Areas that you'll improve[00:07:00]

. There is so much improvement that comes with living with less clutter in your space. So let's chat about. your health. When you live in a clutter space, you are more likely to be in poorer health.

When you are living in a cluttered space, you are more likely to have poor sleep, health brain. Relationship health. So by starting to create and simplify and reclaim and regain that space, you will be improving so many different areas of your life. 

Your physical clutter can affect your weight, it can affect your diet. It can affect allergies and dust. It can affect the safety these are all things that on any level of living in a cluttered home, [00:08:00] the more that you can improve this situation, there is a better chance for you to improve wellness in your life .

because when we're not feeling good about ourselves, good about our spaces, it's easy to engage in avoidance behavior, overeating, sitting on the couch, watching tv, online shopping. But the more that you start to reduce the clutter in your home. and embrace the space, the more your health can improve. Those who have clutter-free homes are more likely to be physically active, and have better diets.

They've actually said it is more likely for you to reach for a chocolate bar in a cluttered space than you are in a clutter free space.

And going back [00:09:00] to the allergies, by reclaiming that space, when you do need to clean, you're taking care of the dust . and you're taking care of anything else that can find its way in pests, insects, those are all things that are more likely to make their way into a cluttered space, and that again, is on any level of a cluttered space in extreme situations of clutter, but also, , it could be just simply underneath your teenager's bed.

So by reducing that amount of clutter, you are improving your physical health, your sleep health, when we live in clutter-free spaces, , it can be easier to fall asleep. It can be easier to stay asleep because our minds are not wandering or running through that to-do list.

[00:10:00] And of course that to-do list comes with the other forms of clutter. But just by being in a space that is clutter free and peaceful. , it can improve your sleep health. So if you are struggling with sleep, this may be a place in your home that you may want to start with, because if you have poor sleep, that is an entire cycle that will come into your following day.

make you tired, less likely to address the clutter in your other spaces. And then leading to that avoidance behavior of overeating overshopping, limited physical activity. So your sleep health is something else that can improve with a clutter-free space. 

Your brain health . There is research that directly links the repeat stress on the brain over time can [00:11:00] decrease your brain's working memory

and visual clutter does that to our brains. It's hard for our brains to constantly be in a. of stress and over time, that builds up and then that makes it harder for us to improve other areas of our life. So be kind to your brain and start to find places where you can start living with less clutter. 

And our moods. Our moods can improve. Less feelings of being depressed or anxious, less frustration for not finding things, less shame for allowing our spaces to get to a certain point. And again, these are all things that I have seen improve just by starting the decluttering process. , I have seen moods improve directly based on decluttering [00:12:00] with myself, with my clients.

It can, you can see the physical change in somebody when their mood is lifted, and just going through your day, again, going back to simplifying your every day. , if you start the day and you are frustrated because you cannot find what you need to get out the door, you're starting your day off on the wrong foot, and it's a little harder to come back from.

So by living with less clutter, you can improve your mood overall in a long term, but also on those smaller moments throughout your. , 

Your relationships. It's the relationship with yourself, the relationship with your family, relationship with your friends, those are all things that can be improved. By living with less clutter. And if this sounds new to you or extreme, let me give you some examples. When you, when you're living with Les Clutter, your [00:13:00] self-love and that conversation you're having with yourself can lift you up and help you prioritize the things that do matter and that will carry you throughout your day and with your family.

How is your relationship when you're feeling overwhelmed and frustrated in your space? Because the visual clutter is overstimulating or because you can't find anything so that day-to-day and long-term relationship with your family, that can improve by starting to declutter and by staying on top of the clutter.

 People who are dating. They may find it hard to open up to another person based on their feelings of shame or disappointment in themselves. Which of course then can lead to not inviting friends or new relationships into your life and into your home.

Relationships are [00:14:00] just as important to improve your mood, to improve your health, and by creating a space that you want to share that is invaluable , 

and this is also important too for your children. If you have children and you're living in a cluttered space, check in with them. How is it affecting their relationships?

 Are they avoiding inviting anybody into their home or making new friendships. ?

So your relationships can really improve by you taking the steps to clear the clutter and making the room for those people in your life that matter, including yourself. 

And then focus. Your focus can improve . , if you're visually distracted or you find that it's easy to wander or start a new task, by reducing the amount of clutter, those distractions become less.

and it's a little [00:15:00] easier for your brain to identify what's important and what's not. 

Children in learning environments, there have been studies on how a cluttered environment when a student is learning can be distracting. So by reducing the. and simplifying those spaces, they have a better chance at learning and embracing that working memory.

Going back to that brain health, so take a look at the spaces that your children are doing their homework. Maybe if you're a teacher, are there things that you can reduce and take out of the space so that the visual clutter is not so overwhelming. and usually school classrooms have a lot of order and organization, but there might be a lot of items in it that is not helping a child focus as well as they may be able to.

Productivity. Again, going back with the focus,[00:16:00] when you are able to focus, you are able to be more productive and there is the. When messy action and creativity come into play, but if you are constantly in a space of clutter, it is harder to be productive. It is harder, again, for your brain to recognize what you should focus on and what you shouldn't, 

and living with less clutter can improve your wallet.

Because when you simplify your every day and it is easier to find what you have, then there's less chance of you having to buy a replacement. When you simplify and you reduce the amount of clutter, it's easier for you to recognize the things that you do use and don't need multiples of when you simplify and reduce the.

you are more likely to be engaging in activities [00:17:00] that are improving your physical health, your mental health, versus again, those avoidance activities like online shopping or feeling the need to purchase. So your wallet will. Thank you. The more that you begin to let go and embrace the space. 

And then lastly, when you start to live with less clutter, you can start to enjoy your home.

You can start to use it as a place to build those relationships, those connections, a place for you. to relax and retreat at the end of a long day without having to always focus on what's around you or the things that you haven't done or the things that you should do, and you can enjoy that space for what it is.

So , go through your day and think about how could your day improve . [00:18:00] Simply by starting to declutter, Where is your brain being pulled throughout the day that you're not even recognizing because there is a cluttered space? Start with the minute that you wake up in the morning, walk through your day, into your closet, into your.

Downstairs to get the items you need to leave for the day. In your work life, in your professional life, in the things that you do on a day-to-day basis, where is there room for you to benefit from living with less clutter? Is it simplifying? Is it reclaiming your time? Regaining your space? , improving your physical health, improving your sleep health, improving your brain health, improving your mood, your relationships, your focus, your productivity.

Where in your life could you see how decluttering could benefit you? 

Thanks for listening.