The Biggest Sources of Stress in the Home

Your house ought to be a tranquil haven from the stresses of the outer world. A tidy, organized, and well-maintained home promotes mental peace, but a messy one might raise anxiety. Fortunately, there are simple actions you can take to bring tranquility back into your house. Here are some of the biggest sources of stress in the home, along with suggestions for resolving them. 

Clutter

What is the primary source of stress in most homes? Clutter! A collection of stuff lying about in an untidy manner causes most people discomfort. Everything you possess is disorganized, with bits and pieces scattered around your home, making it look tiny and messy. In this setting, it’s no wonder people get anxious and stressed. But what is the solution? You can start making room in your home with thorough decluttering. Sort all your belongings and eliminate what you don’t find helpful or essential for your home. The golden rule is that you will probably never use it if you didn’t use it in the past two years. So get rid of it, whatever it is. Donate what is still in good condition and sell what can’t be donated. That way, you will also make some money while you make some space in your home.

The task list

The accumulation of tasks may cause real worry, whether it's the laundry in the corner, the dishes in the sink, or simply the general "to-do" list hanging on the refrigerator. The bigger the task list, the longer you put off the small tasks. Therefore, make a detailed calendar to refer to each day of the week and set out time to cross things off your list. Don't overthink it, and don’t let it intimidate you. As experts in addiction treatment at harmonyridgerecovery.com advise, take it one task at a time since you have to start somewhere. As you move through your list, you will see how your stress level will decrease.

Your pets can be among the biggest sources of stress in the home

Pets may be a subtle anxiety trigger, which is hard to believe for many. However, you may consider sleeping alone in your bedroom if a cat strolls on your face while you sleep. Or if your dog barks whenever something moves outside. Therefore, if you want a pet, pick an animal that complements your way of life. If going for walks or runs helps you manage your stress, you could adopt a dog. A less active animal like a hamster would be better if you are introverted and manage your anxiety by staying isolated.

Leaking faucets

These are another one of the biggest sources of stress in the home. Anybody can quickly go insane from the sound of a dripping faucet, but fortunately, the problem is simple to solve. You likely need to change the cartridge beneath your faucet handles. Therefore, you may fix leaky faucets by turning off the water, removing the handles, and replacing the cartridges. To ensure the issue has been resolved, reattach the handles and turn on the water. To avoid ending up in the same situation again, you can do some preventive maintenance now and then.

Bad lighting

Technology has brought us a long way regarding lighting, so why not take advantage of it? Don't let bad lighting make your house dark and gloomy. Instead, replace your light bulbs and consider making a few lamp purchases. Furthermore, if you have windows, use them! Your happy, healthy existence depends on natural light, which can instantly improve your mood and give you more energy.

On the other hand, darkness can increase your stress levels, which will cause you anxiety and result in even more stress. Unfortunately, stress can then drive people to fall into addictive behaviors. As experts in mental health say, a connection exists here, and it’s better to avoid it at all costs. So embrace the light and make room for it in your home.

Your work

With so many people working from home, it's crucial to separate personal and professional lives. Things that remind us of our jobs might instantly provoke anxiety and work-related thoughts. Thus, figuring out how to effectively divide the two is essential. For instance, simple measures like having a separate user account on your laptop for personal and professional time can be effective. Or try locking the door to your home office after the workday. Alternatively, uninstall your phone's app for work emails. These solutions have the potential to help you mentally set a barrier between work and personal time.

Unfit colors

What if the colors in your home are stressing you out without you knowing it? Bright, exciting colors, such as powerful reds or yellows, may negatively affect your mood if your home is full of them. Surprisingly, the lack of color diversity in all-white rooms might also stress people. As a result, consider using relaxing paint and furniture hues like cream, light blue, beige, and lavender. If these colors are not among your favorites, pick the perfect colors for your home based on how they make you feel when you look at them. Your gut feeling should help you choose what is right for you.

Odors

While trying to relax, all your senses should be active. Unfortunately, an unpleasant smell might prevent that. Therefore, check your refrigerator and pantry for rotten food, clean trash cans, empty cat litter boxes, and scrub your toilets. You can also get some fresh flowers or a scented candle, or simply open a window to let fresh air into your house to add enticing fragrances.

In conclusion

As you can see, it can be easy to handle the biggest sources of stress in the home. However, you must first detect them. Therefore, sit in your home, look at it, smell it, and listen to it. The more carefully you listen and watch, the more your home will tell you about itself and you.

How Clutter Can Affect Your Mental Health

Yes, we know, you'll clean up the mess in your room in a second. As you've been doing all this time, right? Don't worry; we're not here to judge. We solemnly swear - we've all been guilty of leaving clutter in our living spaces for a long time, at least once. Sometimes, just the pace of life gets too quick to keep up, and something has to suffer (like the aesthetics of your living room). But did you know that clutter can affect your mental health? It may seem harmless at first glance, but there are some adverse effects you should be aware of.

Don't put off until tomorrow what you can do today

People wiser than us said this, and we can't agree more. Procrastination is a vicious circle you don't want to get in. When you put off cleaning, you'll put off studying, for example. Once you find yourself on that train, it's hard to get off. According to research, individuals who live in untidy houses are more likely to put off doing crucial activities. It's possible that to pay the bills, you'll have to search through mountains of paperwork. Or, you'll have so many stacked-up piles of filthy clothing that doing the washing will seem like an insurmountable task.

You'll be less productive

If you're not a fan of cleaning and decluttering - it's understandable. But, you might want to change that point of view. If we take a closer look at the bare cells of your endocranium, we'll see that they're all put together in a way that allows you to do multiple things at once. Without that kind of architecture, you wouldn't be able to listen to the radio while you drive, for example. But that ability is not without its limits.

Take care of your working capacity

There is a limited amount of things your brain can process at once. That is a protective mechanism to avoid overstimulation with all the triggers in your surroundings. But, if you keep clutter in your sight, you're distracting your brain with unimportant stimuli that take over its working capacity. That's why it will take you more to accomplish a simple task that wouldn't be a problem if you were in a clean and decluttered space.

It will stress you out

Even though you might be able to convince yourself on a conscious level that it doesn't bother you, clutter will bug your unconscious self until you make a fair attempt to solve it. Too many stimuli in the space supposed to be relaxing and comforting will increase your cortisol levels through the roof. This vital but sneaky hormone will make you feel that silent anxiety daily, even when you're far away from home. You won't feel like coming back only to find a cluttered environment. And even after decluttering, there might still be that bitter taste of cortisol that will make you fill on alert.

The good thing is that you can do something about it. The answer is meditation. It can help in many situations, including dealing with emotions after rehab. You might not know it, but meditation is a great way of controlling this problem and many other anxiety-inducing situations. Calm and peace you can achieve, and complete unity with yourself can help you regain total control of your emotions in difficult times. This can be life-saving in unique situations, such as returning from rehab and starting your life over.

Clutter can affect your mental health on a memory level

Have you noticed how you forget your keys more easily in a messy kitchen? When the clutter is outside you, it's in your brain simultaneously. The brain is the most sensitive receptive thing in your body. If you get too much junk in it, you won't have the space to receive new, important information. And that received is the start of the mechanism and cascade of analyzing, storing, and reproducing crucial stimuli. In other words, your memory will be fairly compromised by the cluttered space you live in. 

It can be harder to turn a new leaf

Have you heard an inspirational speech by a US Navy Amiral, Wiliam McRaven, when he said: ''If you want to change the world, start by making your bed?" This is a mantra to live by if you want to do something good about your habit of leaving clutter all around. It's crucial if you're going through a significant change in your life and you need to take a step further in the right direction. Cluttering is an addiction in a way. So, take three golden pieces of advice from experts in addiction treatment and recovery at Bright Futures Treatment Center Florida and:

1. start decluttering little by little

2. don't beat yourself up

3. star decluttering now

The sense of achievement is important

It may seem simple, but small victories win the war. When you do something nice and turn a new leaf into such a simple habit as cleaning and decluttering, you'll feel a sense of achievement that will help you battle more serious issues and demons. So, making a safe and organized environment can help you in the process.

Final thoughts

A simple everyday task like decluttering does not get enough attention in our efforts to improve our mental health. Getting junk out of your living space can influence the overall clarity of your mind. It doesn't have to be a task worthy of being called a spring cleaning. Taking baby steps will be just fine. It will do the trick and help you keep repeating it until you make it a good habit. Now that you know that clutter can affect your mental health, we hope you'll consider making a few steps toward becoming regular in cleaning and decluttering. Keep it up; we're rooting for you!

How to Recover From a Hoarding Situation

Although one of America's greatest strengths is its easy access to just about any material item you could want, this can also lead to some people's greatest problem: hoarding. If you or someone you know is recovering from a hoarding situation, it can be a long and difficult process to go through. Fortunately, if you stick with it, there is light at the end of the tunnel. To help you make your way through the mounds of stuff, here are a few steps to follow.

Address Mental Health

The goal when recovering from a hoarding situation is to make sure you or your loved one don't return to that situation. Therefore, it's often beneficial to seek professional counseling to help you identify the trigger behind the hoarding so that you can address this root issue. Otherwise, you'll simply be attacking the symptoms and likely end up right back where you started at some point.

Take It One Step at a Time

A house full of trash and treasure can be an overwhelming task to tackle. That's why it's a good idea to focus on the small stuff. If you can achieve a small victory by cleaning out a drawer in the kitchen, for example, that victory will inspire you to move on to other areas of the home. By taking on one small task at a time, you'll eventually be able to tackle the entire house.

Dispose of Unneeded Items

As you go through various items, it's important to have places to put them once they've been sorted. For example, you may want to rent a dumpster so that you can have a quick and easy place to dispose of garbage and unwanted items. You can even find a junk vehicle buyer for cash if there are junk cars on the property so that you don't have to go through a time-consuming process to dispose of these large and unruly items.

Craft a Plan for Future Success

After you've completed your cleaning journey, it's important to craft a plan for future success. You want to be sure that you know what to do with new items as they come into your home so that they don't start accumulating again. You'll also want to make a plan that will help prevent you from bringing certain items into your home altogether. This will help you stay on top of the cleanliness of your home with minimal effort.

Always Ask for Help

During every step of the process, it's always a good idea to ask for help. Although it can be embarrassing to invite someone into a cluttered home, the fact is that most people are more than willing to help if you're willing to ask. Don't let pride get in the way of you finally tackling a hoarding problem once and for all.

Things That Make Your Home Look Cluttered

The first time you move into a new home, everything feels perfect. All your knick-knacks have fallen into place, and there's no clutter in sight. However, this, more often than not, changes quite rapidly. Since we live in a very consumeristic world, we tend to purchase endless supplies of unnecessary items (or even necessary ones that just aren't pleasant to look at). In the spirit of both discovering things that make your home look cluttered and trying to solve the problem, we've made a list that is hopefully eye-opening.

Don't strive toward perfection

Before you actually dive into our list of things that make your home look cluttered, there's one thing we should get out of the way. No matter how tidy and perfect you want your home to look, you'll never reach your goal all the way. It's impossible to sustain. Especially if you have younger children, there'll always be some stuff lying around your floor or hiding behind the sofa; it's the law of nature. Do your best but then just relax and remind yourself that there are far more important things you should give your energy to.

Open shelves and full countertops

Although open shelving has become more and more popular over the years, it's not always such a great idea. If you're someone who doesn't own too many dishes and glasses and loves to color coordinate these items, more power to you. However, if you live in the land of us mere mortals, you might want to skip this trend. It's simply not worth it. Nevertheless, if you've already remodeled your kitchen and opened it up, there's still hope. People usually solve this problem by placing the excess items into a storage unit. Although a fine approach, you don't have to get rid of your items altogether. All you really need to do is get some cabinet doors and close everything up. It'll make all the difference and your place will look much more put together.

Too many decorations

Decorating your home gives it character and warmth. However, overdoing it can have a negative effect. Make sure to shop for decorative pieces mindfully. Always keep the big picture in mind of what you want your home to look like once you're all done. This way, you won't buy items that don't fit and don't serve a specific purpose.

Memorabilia 

Even though we all love to display photos of our loved ones in our favorite rooms, memorabilia can really make a house feel cluttered and cramped. If you don't want to avoid it altogether, make sure to do it tastefully. White frames that aren't too flashy and shiny make for a really lovely and subtle effect.

Visible cords and cables

If there's one thing that we could all agree on, it's our mutual hatred of cords and cables. No matter how you tangle and untangle them, they always look messy and sloppy. Luckily, there are ways to deal with cables and cords with ease and organize them so that you never have to see them again. You can hook them to the back of your furniture or walls if they aren't visible. However, the best way to do this is to purchase white seamless tubing. This way, you can stretch them wherever you like, and they'll be invisible.

Things that don't have a place

If you're not too big on organizing your home, chances are that you'll have some loose ends lying all around it. Of course, the best thing you could do is dedicate a spot to every item you purchase as soon as you buy it. On the other hand, this isn't the most realistic thing for everyone. An excellent solution for those that don't want to bother finding a particular spot for everything is to set aside a box or a drawer that'll simply be for all sorts of things.

An untidy hallway

One of the first things people see when they walk into your home is your hallway. Regardless of how the rest of your space looks, your hallway is the thing people will remember the most. Make sure that it's organized and tidy. 

Fridge magnets

Even though most people love displaying magnets that show where they've been and remind them of dear memories, they can be unnecessarily imposing. The first thing you should remove when decluttering your home is these little things. If you still want to display them somehow, you can do so in a place that is less visible than your refrigerator.

Too many throw pillows and blankets

Throw pillows and blankets are usually really pretty and give off a luxurious feel. However, they can also be overly eye-catching. Be careful not to overdo this display since it can make your space seem cluttered and smaller than it is.

Are you planning to relocate?

The best time to get control over the things that make your home look cluttered and remove them from your space is during relocation. You'll get a fresh start and be able to completely reinvent your house. According to moving experts from Simplify Valet Storage & Moving, people usually place their items in storage so that they have enough time to plan and organize their future space.

Finding balance with the things that make your home look cluttered is key

No matter how much you want to avoid the items that make your home look cluttered, you still need to have some details to make it look homey and cozy. You should aim to add a personal touch to your place but not overcrowd it. If you're not too sure how to do it yourself, you could look for inspiration online or find a professional interior designer that'll do it for you.

Keep your home clean

It really won't matter if you find a suitable place for every single knick-knack that you own if your home is untidy and not properly cleaned. Leaving dirty dishes around after you've used them or having dirty carpets is something that will negate all the effort that you've put into your house. Once you've removed and dealt with all the things that make your home look cluttered, make sure to maintain it to the best of your abilities.