Aussies spend a whopping 187 hours a year dealing with clutter, new report shows

If the battle to control clutter in your home feels never-ending you’re not alone.

A new study has found 25 per cent of Australians think their homes seem more cluttered now than five years ago, and half of us experience clutter and disorganisation at least once a month.

The Choosi Clutter 2.0 Report shows just how much of an impact clutter is having on our lives by making us feel stressed, spend more money and waste our free time.

Decluttering can be overwhelming at first, but starting small can help.

According to professional organiser and owner of The Happy Organiser, Edel Beattie, the reasons we have collected extra clutter and notice it more are two-fold.

“Living in cluttered spaces can increase our stress and anxiety levels and also impact our productivity. In recent years with advancements in technology, more and more people are working from home, therefore becoming more aware of the clutter surrounding them and the distraction it can be,” she said.

“Impulse purchasing is one reason we accumulate too much stuff and many of us are  unaware we are doing it. Although consumerism and advertising play a role in this behaviour, we can build our own awareness to help us make better decisions.”

In terms of clutter’s impact on time, Aussies have admitted to spending 3.6 hours a week clearing clutter, which is 187 hours a year, with the weekends the most common time to clean our homes.

As for the effect of clutter on our budgets, the study found some people are cutting back on cleaning and home organisation supplies to ease pressure on household costs amid the cost of living crisis.

That’s despite clutter leading 57 per cent of Aussies to make unnecessary purchases, even though 33 per cent of people cite perceived usefulness as the biggest barrier to removing clutter.

Aussies admit to buying things they don’t need because of clutter.

This means getting our clutter under control can help free up time and save money, both things that are in short supply for many Aussies.

Beattie recommends looking at decluttering as a longer-term project to start tackling bit by bit.

“Decluttering a whole home should be treated like a marathon and not a sprint. Take small steps and go at a pace that isn’t going to exhaust you. When you do this consistently, you will see progress,” she said.

“During the process, take time to ask yourself questions about your stuff – this information will help you through the decision making. Some questions include, ‘Why do I own this?’, ‘Would I buy this today?’ and ‘Can someone else get value from this?’.”

But if you’re simply after tips for managing cleaning and decluttering on a more regular basis, having a system in place that suits your household and lifestyle is the way to go.

“A good place to start is by writing down everything that needs to be done and how frequently. Enter the weekly and monthly items to your calendar and repeat accordingly,” Beattie said.

“I usually recommend families do laundry every day and do daily resets on communal spaces. This helps prevent a build up and can feel much less overwhelming. It’s also a great idea to delegate some tasks and get everyone on board with maintaining the home.

“If you need help creating a schedule, there are some fantastic templates online that you can personalise.”

Selling second-hand items and donating things we no longer use will help clear clutter.

Once you start feeling in control of your clutter and cleaning routine, the benefits of more time and wasting less money will start to flow through.

However, the most important benefit is likely to be your state of mind and how you feel about your home.

“I find the biggest impact is on clients’ mental health. Most people feel overwhelmed and stressed in their own homes instead of feeling calm and having the ability to relax and enjoy their home. Many clients also experience a lot of disorganisation which often comes as a result of too much stuff,” Beattie said.

“When someone has reached out for support in decluttering, it’s a really positive sign that they are ready to let go of things. I see a huge difference in their energy as they make progress in their decluttering journey.”

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