Clutter is your enemy. Let me count the ways.
1. Clutter is your enemy because it isolates you:
- You avoid inviting friends over for dinner or drinks.
- You are too embarrassed to have neighbours or social groups in for a coffee.
- You can’t have someone stay over because your spare room is not fit for house guests.
- You spend weekends doing the clutter-churn instead of socialising.
2. Clutter is your enemy because it wastes your time:
- Rummaging for things you can’t find.
- Researching and shopping for things you already own.
- Shifting clutter piles around to do housework.
- Organising and reorganising your stashes of stuff. Stuff you don’t even need or love.
3. Clutter is your enemy because it wastes your money, therefore you:
- Repurchase items you have already paid for and can’t find.
- Pay late fees on bills you have mislaid in your mess.
- Spend money on restaurants, bars and hotels when you could be enjoying your home.
- Buy items that promise to organise your clutter (but rarely deliver).
- Misplace gift vouchers and store returns so that they lose their value.
- Lose productivity with your work and career because of the state of your home office and mind.
4. Clutter is your enemy because it stresses you out:
- Demanding your attention and distracting you.
- Making you feel overwhelmed.
- Impacting your quality of sleep.
- Reducing your productivity in the home.
Studies show a link between a high density of household objects, and elevated cortisol.
5. Clutter is your enemy because it taunts and bullies you:
- Harassing you about clothes that no longer fit and hobbies you abandoned.
- Tormenting you about money spent.
- Reminding you of all the things you need to deal with.
- Telling you you’re a failure. (You’re not)
You would not put up with this behaviour from a friend or partner.
Clutter saps your time, energy, money and wellbeing. Get rid of it once and for all.
