8 Ways Decluttering Energizes Your Marriage

I don’t know about you, but I have a love/hate relationship with decluttering. I really get into it once I get started. But getting started is where I get stuck. Sound familiar?

Clutter is such a bully. It stares at you and taunts you daily, and makes you think it will never leave. But clutter must go because leaving it around is costing you. Keeping piles of paper and unused items hanging around drains your energy, causes fights with your spouse, and hurts your financial situation.

All you need is a timer and a few minutes a day. Here’s why just a few minutes makes all the difference:

1. Decluttering gives you back control of your life. When everything is a mess around you, it’s hard to think clearly. You know what I’m talking about. When there are piles of laundry in your bedroom, and boxes from your last move three years ago in the garage, you start feeling like you’re living in a maze. You don’t have to live that way!
2. It gives you a sense of hope for the future. I remember my Mom mopping the floor and clearing out things when company would come over. Even as a kid, just looking at the gleaming house made me feel excited thinking that good things were happening. Are you making room for good things to happen in your home and your marriage? Or are you just trying to convince yourself you’ll get to it tomorrow?
3. A clutter free home brings peace to your household. When you know where things are, and you’re not trying to store things you don’t need-it’s very freeing. Don’t believe me? Grab a timer. Set it for 20 minutes and tackle that laundry room or linen closet. Watch how you feel afterward. The last time I did this, I caught myself going back to the kitchen drawer I cleared out. I just needed to look at how good it looked a few times to get that awesome energy surge. And yes, that was a week ago-but I still go back and open it up to look at it every day and smile. (And to make sure it didn’t get messy again after all that hard work!)
4. It teaches your kids good habits. Whether we like it or not, our children do watch our example and mirror what we do. Show them good habits while they are young, and watch how it makes everyone’s life easier and happier. When the kids are putting dishes in the dishwasher and taking out the garbage, guess what? You and your sweetie have more time together!
5. It’s good for your social life. We are social beings, and people with healthy social lives are happier. Having a messy house holds you back. It’s embarrasing to have people walk past the sea of papers on your desk, dishes in the sink, and overflowing garbage. Don’t let clutter take over your life like this! Clean up after yourself, and whittle away at the piles daily. Open your doors to friends and neighbors, without worrying about the unidentifiable stash you just jammed in your front hall closet.
6. I helps you to work as a team to make your life better. When we moved into a smaller house a few years ago, we got a reality check on how much stuff we really had. Our garage was not usable for the first 9 months. We had to weave in and out and over stuff. Then one day, I said, “That’s it!” And the whole family pitched in for four hours and cleared it all out. I couldn’t believe we had let it sit that long and it only took us part of a day to finally make room for our cars. Lesson learned. Even if it’s just the two of you, you can get it done twice as fast. So, put it on the calendar and get going.
7. You spend less money. What? How does clutter have anything to do with money? I’ll tell you how. When I went through my pile of papers, I found a receipt for a $175 pair of glasses my insurance company is supposed to reimburse me for, and a mistake on a medical bill charge for $60. That’s $235 that would have just sat there. On top of that, think of how expensive a messy kitchen is. People often go out to eat rather than clean up, and that adds up into hundreds of dollars quickly. Keep your papers under control, dishes in the dishwasher, and counters clear. Put the money you would have wasted in the bank.
8. You have more free time. When your house is a mess, you expend a lot of energy always doing damage control. Why not just keep up with it and give yourself the freedom to do what you want when you want? Friends coming to town last minute? Sure, the spare bedroom is clean and ready to go. Want to watch a movie with your spouse? The laundry is put away and you have room to cuddle. Bless your marriage and give yourself that freedom you deserve.