I love to put things away! Everything has a place and it feels good when things are where they are meant to be. My husband on the other hand is quite content to leave things out and all over the place. It took a while to come to the compromise that I could only handle things out of place for a certain amount of time and then I cracked - and went into my "putting away mode".
It was really fascinating to notice how I would feel myself reaching that breaking point. I noticed feeling senses of anxiety, distraction and frustration when there are too many things out on the counters or laying on the chairs or couches. That's when I realized that it was true ... decluttering has so many health benefits!
Decluttering means you have to move around to put things away
Putting things in its place, or better yet, getting rid of things - brings a sense of more control and order
More order allows your brain to focus and be more effective and make better decisions because you are less distracted
A more organized environment lowers your levels of cortisol that then lowers stressful feelings
There is a sense of calm and restfulness in an organized and decluttered space
TIPS:
To slowly de-clutter and purge start small. Pick a room and once a day go into that room and look for something that you really do not need. How to determine if it's needed?
Ask yourself: Have I used or worn this object in the last 3-6 months? Is this object serving any purpose? Can it help someone else?
Take it out of the room and move it to a space with three options: Sell, Donate or Trash. I use our Garage - it's the closest point to getting things out of the house for good!
See if your neighbors want to have a Yard Sale on the same day. Having multiple homes can bring more traffic and you can split the advertising costs. Plus it can lead to neighborly bonding.
Look for your local Thrift Stores to donate or call your local Veterans Association or Big Brothers/Big Sisters or like types of charities.
Sell things on LetGo/OfferUp, Craig's List, Ebay, etc. You may be very surprised how much extra cash you can make by letting go of objects that are not serving a positive purpose.
Remember, all steps toward a healthier home are steps toward a healthier you!
Here are some articles with more ideas on this topic: