Is your home getting you down?

From time to time, we might feel under the weather, but have you ever considered it could be your home that is getting you down?

There are several reasons why your home might be affecting your wellbeing – is there too much clutter? Is it in need of a serious spring clean? Does it lack organisation? Whatever it is that’s making you feel out of sorts and a little uneasy, we have some top tips for organising your home and how it can benefit your wellbeing.

Stop daydreaming, start decluttering!

Before you can even think about sprucing up your home and achieving some kind of organisation, first you’ll need to take the plunge and declutter. You might be surprised to learn that studies undertaken by UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives of Families(CELF) showed that a cluttered home can, in fact, cause stress. Sometimes, without us even noticing until it’s too late, we accumulate a wealth of ‘things’ that we don’t ever actually use or need. Before we know it, our homes are jam packed to the rafters and there is barely any space left for us to relax.

The amount of clutter that we amass can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed, anxiety, stress and depression. So, it makes sense that if we create a home where there is less clutter and more organisation, we are likely to feel more content, relaxed and happier.

• Before you start, create a list of categories that any clutter might fall under, such as keep, throw away, recycle or sell. 
• Start with the room that has the least clutter first as you are less likely to feel overwhelmed by the task at hand and you can make space for any items that you might want to keep. 
• Try not to spend too much time reminiscing about anything that you come across or reading through old diaries as this will only make the task take longer, and you might also talk yourself out of decluttering at all!

As you start to make progress, you will begin to feel a weight lifted and you might even start to enjoy the process, which can be extremely therapeutic.

Declutter your home, declutter your mind

If you wake up surrounded by an unclean house, it can really play havoc with your mindset. Although you might not realise it, the state of your home can cause anxiety and stress, which can affect our levels of cortisol in the body. This can lead to lethargy, high blood pressure and disturbed sleep. By decluttering, we can help create a more relaxed environment which will reduce stress and regulate our cortisol levels, meaning we will feel uplifted and energised.

Once you have completed decluttering, pull out the sofa, empty the cupboards and have a good spring clean. It’s quite surprising how much dust and dirt can build up when we neglect to clean behind and under things. If left for too long, this can cause respiratory problems and have a harmful effect on our physical health as well as our mental wellbeing.

Initially, it might seem like an uphill struggle to organise your home but once you make a start, you’ll begin to see the benefits that it has on your wellbeing. As well as the immense satisfaction that it brings, you will feel less stressed and more motivated.

Hoarding

Of course, we're referring to general accumulation of 'things' in this article. If you or someone you know have hoarding issues and the clutter is getting out of control or dangerous, you would be advised to seek the help of a professional as there is usually a deeper cause to hoarding, which you may need to explore.