According to this article, clutter is not good for you. The older I get, the more I dislike clutter. I like clean and uncluttered counters and walls. I am not the type to have to have every corner decorated. It just seems to be more work to have to clean.
Now there are studies that show that clutter contributes to stress. We have too much stuff! Way too much stuff. If you can't find a place to put something, you need to get rid of it. Living in a clean and uncluttered environment is good for you. Order is good for you. God is a God of order. His ways are best and so we must strive to live lives of order.
You don't need three of everything. At one time, I had many different pairs of eyeglasses. They were all over the place but for some reason I was always looking for a pair. Now I have two nice pairs and I rarely misplace them. We don't need ten pairs of jeans or thirty pairs of underwear. If you haven't worn something for over a year, get rid of it. Hoarding is not a good thing.Get rid of things you aren't using and give them to people who could use them.
Don't keep things because you may need them some day. You will end up keeping too much stuff. God doesn't intend for us to be slaves to our stuff but to be content for godliness with contentment is great gain! It's all going to burn someday anyways. We are told to store our treasures in heaven, not on this earth. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21)
Live simply. Teach your children to clean up after themselves and to keep their rooms orderly. When you are trained as a child to be disciplined and neat, you will grow up to be a disciplined and neat adult.
Stress is killing us. Do everything you can to get stress out of your life. If that means having less stuff, have less stuff. Your health and your life are more important than stuff.
Let everything be done decently and in order.
I Corinthians 14:40
hoosierbeck · 668 weeks ago
Kristy Smith Howard · 668 weeks ago
However, as a mother of little people, I've had to learn to live with a certain amount of "clutter" in my life. Clutter caused from simply living is a reminder of the precious people who are a part of my life. I am learning to welcome THAT kind of clutter.
I still de-clutter my home at least once-a-week! Clear counter tops and open spaces just DO something for me. :)
enthusiasticallydawn 40p · 668 weeks ago
Brit · 668 weeks ago
I've also noticed this with my children's clothing. My mom goes a little over board with buying cute little clothes. I've learned that I only like our children to have 10 outfits or so that fit per season. It makes it a lot less stressful than having so many clothes that they could only possibly wear each one twice through a season.
Super Mom EO · 668 weeks ago
Joluise · 668 weeks ago
I de-clutter on a very regular basis and love the feel of a clutter free home, I can breath in it. All the things you mentioned are the things I do - allows me to get through my day stress-free. I taught my sons from a very early age to clean up after playing and one is now very good at it, the other one needs far more training, but at 19 that might be a little too late.
April · 668 weeks ago
Jai Boardway · 668 weeks ago
Victoria · 668 weeks ago
Lisa · 668 weeks ago
Wendy @ ECTaS · 668 weeks ago
Something I hate is junk mail and so I tend to deal with all the post + any junk mail as it comes in the post. I don't let it mount up as I'd get stressed if I had to go through weeks and weeks of mail.
Cynthia Swenson · 668 weeks ago
Melissa N · 667 weeks ago
Tara · 667 weeks ago
Pat · 667 weeks ago
I've let things pile up; and have held onto things for 'someday' or 'just in case'. No more!
I'm culling my assets and divorcing the clutter!
Nicole · 667 weeks ago
Kerry · 667 weeks ago
karla · 667 weeks ago
Mrs. Mom of 6 · 667 weeks ago
April · 667 weeks ago
Ruth · 666 weeks ago
Healthy Frugalista · 666 weeks ago
Liz · 665 weeks ago
And yes, clutter does cause stress.