Guest Blogger: Declutter Now to Improve the Health of Your Home

 Guest Blogger #488, Entry #1125, April 25, 2012

While it seems to be the case that more and more people these days are being diagnosed with allergies to common particles like dust mites, mold, and pet dander, the truth is that a home full of clutter can pack such high concentrations of these substances that it’s enough to make anyone sick. Of course, there are even worse things that could be lurking under the piles of stuff that have taken up residence in every corner of your home. The point is: you don’t want your home to start looking like an episode of Hoarders (or your lungs to resemble a science project) before you take steps to clean up your act (not to mention your domicile). Here are just a few tips to help you declutter for better health.

Declutter your home to help your family

Image via: Mix and Chic

Declutter your home for your health

The thing about clutter is that it can be hazardous to your health in a number of ways. Allergens are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to clutter. And while you can easily treat allergies with medication and a few well-placed air purifiers, you really need a clean environment to start with if you want these therapies to work. But even aside from respiratory problems, a ton of clutter could pose a serious health risk in the event of a fire, providing fuel that helps flames to spread faster, making it difficult for you to get out, and hindering any help that might be trying to reach you. And of course, there is always the danger that pests like ants, spiders, and rodents will move into the mess, potentially spreading all manner of disease (unless you’re keen to experience Hantavirus you don’t want mice in your home).

Mental health can be helped by decluttering

But even with these many health concerns you may have trouble clearing out your space. One of the other side effects of clutter is that it can have a marked effect on your mental health, making you feel irritable and depressed (neither of which are conducive to cleaning). So start small by tackling one room at a time. Turn on some music, open the windows for some fresh air, and get a few trusted friends and family members to help you out. Choose a sunny day and start by pulling everything out onto the lawn and laying it on tarps. Once the room is empty you can give it a good scrub from floor to ceiling (don’t miss those cobwebs in the corners).

Mental clarity can come with decluttering

Image via: Coastal Living

Now that everything is out, you likely won’t relish the prospect of putting it all back in. So go through your stuff and separate it into three piles: keep, trash, and donate. Appoint one of your friends DD (designated donator – preferably someone with a truck) so that you know whatever you put into the donate pile is leaving your house that day. Throw away anything that has been contaminated, broken, or is otherwise unusable, and if you haven’t seen or thought about an item in a couple of years, donate it; you obviously don’t need it. This way a lot less stuff will find its way back into your home, you’ll have a space free of clutter that you can easily keep clean from here on out, and you won’t have to rely on health insurance to pay for treatments because you will have removed the cause of your health problems.

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