Clutter’s Hidden Costs

Most people use only 20 percent of what they own. The other 80 percent of possessions are items we don’t use, think we should use, or think we might need someday.

Clutter isn’t benign. Read on to learn what clutter is likely costing you, plus mindful rehoming ideas for items you no longer need.

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1. Time

Time is the most precious commodity we have, yet the average person spends two and a half days each year searching for misplaced items.

Want more free time to do what you love? According to the National Soap And Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter eliminates 40 percent of housework, on average.

2. A positive sense of self

A messy home causes us to feel ashamed of our inability to get control of the clutter. This is especially true for women, as many of us view our homes as an extension of ourselves and therefore something we should be able to manage.

4. Our health

The Center for Sustainable Systems investigated eating behaviors in cluttered environments and found that people eat more food in cluttered spaces when they feel “out of control” due to their environment.

There’s also to stress factor: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention finds that 80% of our medical expenditures are related to stress.

Our homes should be the antidote to stress rather than the cause of it, but for the vast majority of us our homes are indeed the cause of stress because household clutter makes us feel anxious.

It’s virtually impossible to sit down and fully relax in a cluttered home. Clutter robs us of our focus and makes us feel like we’re surrounded by a never-ending to-do list.

4. Loss of Sleep 

While there are very few things in this world better than a great night of sleep, with stress comes sleep problems. 

A 2015 study also found that a cluttered bedroom goes hand in hand with a poor night’s sleep.

5. Financial woes

25% of adults say they pay bills late because they lose them, which leads to late fees and overdue fines.

Then there’s all the items we own but have lost: We have to replace them (ahem … we have to pay for the same item twice). American households spend more than $2.7 billion each year replacing lost items.

Many of us pay for extra storage space, too, even though one-third of storage customers already have a basement, two-thirds own a garage, and almost half have an attic.

I quickly googled searched: How much storage units in my region cost: On average, I’d pay $180 per month for a 10’x10′ non-climate-controlled unit.

Finally, there are added financial costs associated with our attempts at organizing our possessions. The Container Store is many things, but it certainly isn’t cheap: We spend money on storage bins, organizing supplies, organizational systems and more which do indeed add up.

5 Guiding Principles of Mindful Rehoming

1. People first. 

Do you know an actual human being in your sphere that can use your items? If so, give to them over a faceless organization, a nameless donation bin, or a gigantic thrift store.

2. The internet is your friend. 

Thanks to the World Wide Web, in some ways, responsible decluttering is easier than ever before.

The internet connects you to people and places that may want your clutter, including:

• Neighbors via Next Door or your Buy Nothing Group.
• Strangers on Craigslist, Freecycle, or Facebook Marketplace.
• Nonprofits and community organizations via a Google search.

3. Take no for an answer. 

Remember: Always call first before showing up with a trunk full of stuff!

If someone or some place declines your items, be willing to take no for an answer. Don’t place the burden of managing your clutter onto others.

4. Remember that sometimes trash is trash. 

The trashcan should be reserved only for items that are completely used up or used out.

Shoes that are completely worn down. A broken bowl. An item that no longer serves its utility and can’t be fixed or broken down into useful parts are some examples.

But remember, the trashcan should be used sparingly as your absolute last resort.

5. Think twice on the front end.

Next time there’s an opportunity to bring a new item into your home, ask yourself how long you anticipate needing/using the item. Is it a one-time thing? If so, can you borrow it? Do you really need to own it?

If you think about your personal struggles with clutter – with having too many items you don’t need or want – and then multiply your personal struggle by 331.9 million (the current population of the United States), it’s apparent that there’s likely an abundance of stuff already in circulation without places to go.

Ask yourself: do you really need to own it new and therefore add more items to what’s already in circulation?

The final word

The easiest decluttering route for you is likely not the best route for whomever and whatever is down stream.

We have a responsibility to be intentional about the items we choose to grant admittance into our homes; we have a responsibility to mindfully re-home what no longer serves us, too.

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