Did you know that decluttering and organizing can be natural anxiety remedies? If you’re struggling with anxiety, a cluttered environment might not be the cause, but it definitely doesn’t help.
Did you know that decluttering can reduce stress and anxiety? I’ll be honest, I struggle with … collecting things. It drives my husband batty because I have things that I just know will come in handy one day. I have told that having a lot of things in my space was not helpful to my anxiety. My therapist challenged me to declutter the space I relaxed in and it made a big difference immediately.
Apparently clutter can wreak havoc on the mind. It overwhelms our already overloaded brains with too much sensory information. This can cause irritableness and increase stress levels. When we’re around clutter, our minds become cluttered.
Clutter can also impact our sleep. Our brains will be mentally processing all the external stimuli of the clutter, making it difficult to wind down and settle our mind, ready for sleep. Decluttering can also boost your creativity and productivity. One of my favorite benefits is discovering loss treasures. I found quite a few things I’d been missing – precious photos and cards that brought tears to my eyes when I came across them.
So, yes, getting rid of things you don’t need and organizing your space better could improve your quality of life tremendously.
Clutter Can Make It Difficult to Find Your Things
If you live in a cluttered environment, there’s a good chance that you will sometimes find it difficult to locate things that you need. Not only can this cause anxiety in the immediate sense, but these occurrences can lead to a heightened level of anxiety.
Here are a couple of ideas for an organization system that allows you to keep better track of your stuff:
- Have cabinets to place important belongings in.
- If you have documents that can be organized alphabetically or by date, this can make for a good system.
Know What Kinds Of Items You Can Easily Get Rid Of
Getting rid of unwanted stuff can make it possible to create space for new things that you need, and as a result, you’re likely to be less anxious. Here are some common types of items that you can easily get rid of:
- Do you have belongings that you haven’t used in a year or longer? It may be a good idea to get rid of them.
- Are there broken or damaged items in your home? It’s time to get rid of them.
- Do you have duplicates you don’t need? You already know, get rid of one of them.
- Decorative items in your house that you no longer like? Those can go, too.
Consider Selling Some of Your Unwanted Stuff
If there are things that you want to get rid of, there are many ways that you can sell them. Sometimes, you may make a significant amount of money by selling your stuff, and you can even do it online! The fact that you’ll get some extra cash can also help to reduce your anxiety.
Here are some great ways to sell your unwanted stuff:
- Sell on eBay or Amazon: Selling on eBay or Amazon can allow you to connect with buyers from around the world, and you can often sell items for significantly more than you’d make at a garage sale.
- Sell with LetGo: LetGo is an app that allows you to connect with buyers, and it is convenient to use.
- Consider having a garage sale (once social distancing is over): Having a garage sale is a great way to sell many unwanted items at the same time.