Never underestimate the influence your belongings have on you. Some may carry memories and some may be reminders, but if you collect too much of it, they most certainly will rule you. We all become emotionally dependable of things, mostly to compensate for a loss or pain we experienced, and even sometimes due to desire to impress others. However, you can quickly turn from collector to hoarder if you stop paying attention to the clutter and mess your things create.
The hidden danger lies in the unseen and silent influence this piled up chaos has on your health which can have serious consequences and effects if left unattended or unnoticed for too long.
Looking for something can upset you
When you start losing your things in your own house that is a sign to start cleaning up. And this also applies if you can’t find pieces of clothing, shoes and anything else bigger than your keys or ID. Not being able to find what you’re looking for leads to frustration and anger, two negative emotions which will ruin your day and can even get you to fight with others and be rude. The best way to keep your home in order is to tidy up after yourself on daily basis, but if it’s too much to handle, then schedule a weekly cleaning up instead.
Dust can cause allergies and respiratory troubles
Dust consists of dirt and mites, the latter being a living organism visible under a microscope and unavoidable in our homes and environment. The health problems start when bacteria and mites start reproducing uncontrollably due to perfect conditions like mold and moisture. Allergies like wheezing, snoozing, coughing, skin rash or complicated respiratory conditions like bronchitis and asthma are all known and reported conditions related to dust. Since you can’t get rid of it completely, try dusting your home often, and sometimes that means a couple of times a week depending on your neighborhood and lifestyle.
Chaos can build up anxiety
When everything you own is all over your place, you should ask yourself who pays the bills to have the right to own the place like that: you or your belongings. You may think that you don’t mind the mess, but subconsciously that chaos is the reason of your anxiety and discomfort as shown by many studies over the years. If you can’t do it yourself, ask friends to help you or hire a professional cleaning service. Everything you don’t want to get rid of, you can store in super cheap self-storage units and decide what to do with those things later.
Clinging to things can lead to depression
We are all slaves to the material world, there’s hardly any exception. The only thing we can do to break those chains is by being realistic and not getting too attached to things. Since this is not easy and there is a very small percentage of humans who can actually do that, the best next thing is to compartmentalize. Everything painfully attaching you to the past must go. That means mementos on past relationships or marriages, ex-friends, and lovers, everything that brings you sadness when you look at it. You don’t have to throw those things away, just place them in a box and put them out of sight and mind.
Too much furniture can restrict your movements
If you bump on the coffee table now and then or stumble upon a stool, not to mention squeeze between the furniture to move around – it’s time to throw out some furniture. Too many things in one place are the most specific for small apartments, but there are also cases when big houses get overrun by stuff too. If you can afford it, replace the old with less useful new pieces. Multipurpose and smart furniture are excellent solutions for small places to still be functional and spacious. Also, consider mounting your shelves on the walls, which will certainly give you extra space.
Dirt is a fertile ground for microbes
As previously with dust, dirt is also something to be taken care of. The deposits in your bathroom, notably in the toilet, bathtub, shower, and washbasin are the perfect ground for dangerous and aggressive bacteria. The dirt you insert in your home on your shoes, or while preparing food, for example, is also another fertile ground for microbes, and even pests. Today’s market is full of cleaning agents which can take care of all that for you and you don’t even have to scrub too much or put any special effort except to spread them on dirty surfaces. Or, if you can afford it, hire a cleaning lady to come and do it all for you once a week.
As conclusion
Let’s not kid ourselves – cleaning our home can sometimes be overwhelming and requires using up your free time – a commodity these days. So if you can’t do it regularly and avoid the clutter, the best choice you have is to ask for help or hire some. In the 21st century, the only shame in the modern and civilized society is to live in the mess and dirt.
About The Author:
Leila Dorari is a freelance writer from Sydney. She’s passionate about home improvement and living better lives by nurturing our surroundings. In her free time, you can find her window shopping or be exploring new ways to make her life more meaningful.