Cleaning and Organizing Your Living Space Yields Multiple Benefits for You

In today's fast-paced world, the act of decluttering has gained significant attention, offering benefits far beyond financial savings. The Decluttering Series, a new initiative that kicks off today, aims to share resources, approaches to decluttering, and environmentally friendly ways to dispose of belongings.

According to Statistics Canada, in 2017, Canadians spent an average of $3,430 on clothing and accessories, $962 on household furnishings, $554 on household appliances, and $158 on reading and other printed materials[1]. With this in mind, it's no wonder that decluttering has become a popular method for reducing consumption and waste.

Decluttering offers numerous environmental advantages. By reducing waste, conserving resources, and lowering carbon footprints, it contributes significantly to environmental sustainability. Here's how:

1. **Waste reduction and resource conservation:** Decluttering encourages avoiding unnecessary purchases and disposing of items responsibly. This means donating, recycling, or repurposing old belongings, which minimizes landfill waste and conserves natural resources[2][3].

2. **Promotion of sustainable consumption:** Minimalism, closely related to decluttering, fosters a shift towards purchasing high-quality, durable goods rather than disposable items. This reduces pollution and resource depletion associated with manufacturing[2].

3. **Lower carbon footprint:** Simplifying possessions and habits lead to reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions, including through adopting sustainable lifestyles such as using public transport or cycling[2].

4. **Eco-friendly disposal:** Partnering with services that responsibly handle unwanted items ensures proper recycling and reuse, further mitigating environmental harm[3].

Moreover, decluttering offers substantial mental health benefits. A clutter-free environment promotes calmness and mental clarity, reducing anxiety and enhancing overall psychological well-being. Streamlining possessions limits distractions, aiding concentration and efficiency in daily tasks. The act of decluttering empowers individuals, fostering a positive mental state through organization and intentional living. It encourages mindful living, helping prioritize meaningful activities and relationships, contributing to greater life satisfaction.

The host of this series, who has previously documented their own decluttering journey, believes that decluttering one's space is beneficial for their inner state of being. In fact, they found out during a Money Master Class that they had 18 pairs of scissors[4]! The host reflects on their attachment to things and questions the need to own something if it's not useful. Getting rid of unused items brings a sense of relief to the host.

The host plans to share their decluttering journey over the next few weeks, including what they are parting ways with in their Instagram stories during the next round of 30 days. They also encourage readers to join them on this journey, sharing their own experiences and tips. Readers can subscribe to the website's monthly email list to follow along[5].

Decluttering is not just about getting rid of things; it's about creating a space that fosters peace, productivity, and mindfulness. It's about appreciating and utilizing the things we do own, and it's about making conscious decisions about what we bring into our lives. So, let's embrace decluttering and embark on a journey towards environmental sustainability and mental well-being!

[1] Statistics Canada. (2017). Household final consumption expenditure, by category (current dollars). Retrieved from https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/table?tbl=table1&cid=0110010301&idp=131&tid=131&t=1 [2] National Geographic. (2017). How to declutter your home and help the planet. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/green-living/2017/12/declutter-home-help-environment/ [3] Environmental Protection Agency. (2021). Recycling at home. Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-home [4] The Minimalists. (2016). The 30-day declutter challenge. Retrieved from https://www.theminimalists.com/30-day-declutter-challenge/ [5] Website. (n.d.). Subscribe to our monthly newsletter. Retrieved from https://website.com/subscribe

Embracing minimalism, which is closely related to decluttering, can foster a shift towards purchasing high-quality, durable goods rather than disposable items, promoting sustainable consumption and lowering pollution associated with manufacturing.
By responsibly handling unwanted items through eco-friendly disposal methods, such as donating, recycling, or repurposing, decluttering encourages waste reduction and resource conservation, contributing significantly to environmental sustainability.
The financial landscape isn't left untouched by decluttering either; personal finance experts often demonstrate that decluttering not only offers mental health benefits but also provides opportunities for creating financial freedom by reducing unnecessary expenditure.
As the host shares their decluttering journey, they will experiment with sustainable and environmental-friendly alternatives for their lifestyle, fashion, and beauty choices, and attempt to apply these practices in their home and garden as well.
The host of the Decluttering Series plans to engage readers in sharing their own decluttering experiences and tips, particularly focusing on implementing minimalist principles and financial strategies in order to foster a greener, healthier, and more intentional lifestyle.