This month we’ve been looking at defining, redefining, and refining ourselves. You can’t go through that process without looking at the clutter you’ve accumulated and taking the necessary steps to declutter your life. Let’s start by defining clutter. For our purposes, clutter is any physical thing and any emotional or mental baggage that doesn’t align with your 100 Year Lifestyle, with living 100:100.
Mind Blowing Statistics
Let’s start with the physical stuff. Here are some mind blowing statistics:
9.4% of US households rent a storage unit.
There are 48,500 storage units in the U.S. (and more being built every day), which is more than McDonalds and Starbucks locations combined.
80% of the items people keep are never used.
54% of Americans are overwhelmed by the amount of clutter they have, but 78% have no idea what to do with it.
Not Me
So, you might be thinking, a little clutter is not that big a deal. I’m not a full-blow hoarder. At worst I’m a bit of a packrat. It isn’t keeping me from living my 100:100. Besides, you never know when you’ll need something. Why throw it out or give it away when it might be of use…someday. My things don’t really affect me on a daily basis.
Clutter and Your Health
Here’s some additional information you might find interesting:
People are more productive, less irritable, and less distracted in a clutter-free space. Clutter can actually give you anxiety.
People who sleep in cluttered rooms are more likely to have sleeping problems.
When eating in cluttered spaces, people are more likely to make poor eating choices. Those with extremely cluttered homes are 77% more likely to be overweight.
Women’s stress levels have been found to be directly proportional to the amount of stuff in their homes.
The Clutter You Can’t Touch
Emotional or mental clutter is equally costly while being not as easy to identify. These are things you may have been living with for years. The list includes:
Fear and anxiety
Guilt and shame
Anger and bitterness
Regret
Denial
Sadness
Discouragement and self-doubt
Overwhelm and indecision
No Upside
While emotional or mental clutter is unique to everyone, it includes all of those memories and experiences in your lifetime that haunt you for whatever reason. They often encompass those “should have” moments that you wish you could get back or do over. Simply put, they are things that, like possessions, you won’t let go of.
So, clutter is anything that is kept yet not used, needed, or even wanted. Clutter is often overwhelming. Clutter has physical, emotional, and financial costs. The clutter in your life affects your health by creating stress. Any clutter affects your creativity by limiting your ability to focus. It can even be downright painful. There is no upside to clutter.
Decluttering Help
Perhaps that’s why declutter has become a trend in America. Whether you prefer Marie Kondo and the KonMari Method approach to tidying up or The Minimalists are more your style, or you prefer to work directly with one of the nearly 45,000 certified professional organizers in the U.S.—it doesn’t matter. However you get the job done, you will be the better for it.
Want to take a huge step towards defining, redefining, or refining your 100 Year Lifestyle? Declutter your life, and find a 100 Year Lifestyle provider near you. Being free of unnecessary burdens and feeling great—life doesn’t get any better than that! Start living 100:100 today!
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