Why is it a bad thing to have clutter? Clutter costs a homeowner time; time means money. Clutter also causes stress that is not needed and wastes time for homeowners. Why is it a bad thing to have clutter?...
Why is it a bad thing to have clutter? "Clutter is costly. It costs in time because you have to look for things and it takes you a long time to find them, and time is money. It is also costly in your stress level because when you are having to frantically look for things and waste your time, it upsets you.", explains Lorie Marrero, who is the owner of "LivingOrder", a professional organization company that creates organizing solutions for homes and businesses.
Any saying that involves the word "clutter" has bad connotations. Consider the term "A cluttered mind". This invokes the image of someone who doesn't think straight, rambles and often, is a little "crazy" or "off". Having a home that is riddled with clutter can also invoke the same feelings in people. When not being able to find something amidst all of the chaos, one often says, "I know I put it there. I'm losing my mind." Or if someone stops over unexpectedly, you need to make up reasons on why they can not come in and more often then not, you end up rambling off excuses that, in actuality, make no sense.
Being disorganized at home clutters up the rest of your life as well. Living in a chaotic environment can cause you to be late for important meetings when things such as keys, jewelry and shoes become lost and mountains of paperwork lying around has a tendency to "eat" your important documents and valuable contact business cards.
Even when you "know where everything is" clutter still has a way of closing in around you. It affects the way you think, act and feel; sometimes without you even realizing it.
If the daunting task of complete organization is overwhelming you, start with one area first. Choose the room that you spend the most time in. Purchase unique storage items and organize that single area. Set the goal, that no matter what the rest of the house looks like; you will maintain that room as your sanctuary. The feelings that entering that one room invokes, especially if you have to walk through clutter to reach it, will give you the motivation to tackle the rest of your home.
Or, if the idea of maintaining anything is what is stopping you, organize your home before leaving on a trip. Walking back into a clean, uncluttered environment after being gone will show you what "Home Sweet Home" truly means. It might just be the kick start you need to keep it that way.
If you work long hours or just have no earthly idea where to begin, you may want to re-consider the possibility of consulting a professional organizer like Lorie. The time and stress saved when hiring a person who knows what they're doing to begin with often outweighs any extra money it may cost. Also, you have to remember that a professional can show you cost-effective ways of implementing different storage solutions. If you consider the factors of mistakes avoided and actually having a system that works for your lifestyle (one that you will not have to be "tweaking" as you go along because of not considering all of the factors) you might actually be saving money in the long run.
