10 Reasons to Get Rid of Extra Clutter

You may have heard of decluttering or minimalism. If not, you may be wondering why everyone on your street has been selling, donating, or throwing out half their stuff. Decluttering has taken on a life of its own lately, due to Netflix series, documentaries, and viral facebook/twitter/Instagram posts. But…. here’s the thing. It’s not just a trendy thing that will be gone soon, it’s actually a lifestyle! Minimalism isn’t about living with nothing, it’s living and being content with what you have! If minimalism has you scratching your head, here are 10 reasons to get rid of extra clutter.

The top 10 reasons to get rid of extra clutter

It will be easier to keep your home clean

The number one reason for getting rid of extra clutter is how your space will FEEL once it’s done. With less “stuff” in your house, things will be easier to keep clean. Have you ever dreaded cleaning because of the amount of time it takes to get the house picked up so you can get to the actual act of vacuuming, mopping, sweeping, or anything else? Paring down the items in your home to what is truly necessary will mean less stuff to put away before you can get to the business of cleaning.

You could earn some extra cash

This may not be top of your list, but online second-hand sales are big business right now. You may remember Craigslist.com (which is still going btw!) Now, Facebook marketplace seems to be the go-to place to sell all those items you no longer want or need. There are also other companies like Poshmark, Mercari, depop and thredUP that want your business. If you have gently-used items that you decide you no longer need, turn them into cash! Lot’s of people use this method to establish a side hustle to earn extra income! I personally bring in about $200 a month just by doing this!

You will be grateful for what you truly value

Nothing makes you appreciate what you have more than actually seeing all of it. So many times I forget how.much.stuff I have until I start to go through it. Who needs three different kinds of kitchen blenders? At one point we had a hand mixer, a Kitchenaid mixer and several whisks. I ended up getting rid of every single thing and only keeping the Kitchenaid and one whisk. I trained myself to look at what I have, and then choose to keep things that I know I use often and appreciate. The rest I let go. Now, every time I get that item out of the cupboard, I feel grateful to have it and grateful that I’m digging through a ton os stuff to find it.

You will feel less anxious and more relaxed at home

Of the many reasons to get rid of extra clutter, the benefits to mental health is so important! I’ve been pretty honest on how clutter makes me feel. I have anxiety and a messy room compounds it. I can’t relax at all with a mess or cluttered space near me. Not only does getting rid of clutter help you physically, but it could help you emotionally as well! No one likes to come home to a mess. Having less “stuff” around means less mess to worry about and a happier home environment. You can walk into your home at the end of the day feeling relaxed and calm instead of anxious and stressed.

Waking up might be easier

When you wake up to a cluttered, jumbled room, do you want to get out of bed? Do you wake up energized at the thought of tackling the day? Or do you just want to close your eyes again and make it all disappear? I find that I wake up so much happier when I know that my home is clutter-free and beautiful. I would much rather wake up and drink my morning coffee looking at a gorgeous sunrise than rush through my morning frantically searching for where I last put my keys!

Decluttering could be the start of other healthy habits

One important reason to get rid of extra clutter is that a clean well organized space may cause other opportunities to open up! All of a sudden, you have more mental and physical space to do something else. That might mean cooking in your kitchen instead of going out to eat. It might mean unrolling your yoga mat to get a quick stretch before bed. Whatever the healthy habit is, once minimalism gives you the room to try it, you might just find it sticking better than ever before!

You could sell your home faster!

One of the first things a Realtor will tell you to do is declutter. This can be the number one indicator of how fast your home will sell. The amount of time it takes you to get rid of all your extra “stuff” could be as long as months. Imagine taking months to even get your home on the market! Having an already decluttered house will allow you to almost immediately list and sell your home if you should need to.

Unearth and enjoy forgotten treasures!

I can’t be the only one that has forgotten about a treasure from long ago! As I go through my “stuff” and get rid of what I don’t need, I always find something that I forgot about, but that I want to keep. I then find a place in my home to display whatever it is. Sometimes that means getting an old drawing framed, or finding a nice clear shelf for a wedding present that was never even unboxed. You will be amazed at the memories that come rushing back, and now you have a nice clean place to display the item proudly.

You might finally park your car in the garage

Did you know that Americans are notorious for their use of storage units? In fact, more homes in America rent an off-site storage unit than don’t. Can you imagine how powerful it would be to not only get rid of the monthly fee of a storage unit but to also be able to park your car in your in-home storage unit – your garage? Depending on where you live, homes have anywhere from zero parking spaces to over ten, and I can guarantee you at least half of them are filled with “stuff”. Getting rid of your extra clutter will allow you to get rid of the extra monthly expense and finally put your car in the garage, protected from the elements.

You could experience better health with fewer allergies

Allergies are becoming more and more common in our lives. I did not experience seasonal allergies until I was an adult, but did have issues with mold and dust. Even someone who does not have indoor allergies will benefit from decluttering. The less there is, the fewer places dust can settle. Combine that principle with the fact that you can now clean your home easier, and you have a much healthier environment.

If you haven’t considered Decluttering before, what has been holding you back? Which of these 10 reasons to get rid of extra clutter speaks loudest to you?