The report surveyed more than 21,000 people from 22 countries (including Australia) and found that 27 per cent of people feel pressure from society to live more minimally, a pressure which is causing arguments and disharmony in the home. In fact, 49 per cent of those surveyed said that differing ideas of what constitutes ‘mess’ were one of the main arguments in their households. Furthermore, homeowners reported that balancing the pressure to declutter with the importance of keeping their meaningful objects is a source of tension for them.
The root of the problem is that one person’s mess is another person’s treasured items on display. As such, a ‘clutter-free’ home could have different meanings to different people. An overly minimal and clean home can even feel too sterile and lack personality. So, what should you do about it?
- Make sure everyone in the household declutters together, focusing on things such as junk drawers, old clothes, toys and random collections of magazines and other paraphernalia you may not need.
- Rather than removing all clutter from your home, decide as a couple (or family) what’s important to have on display, and within easy reach. Allow each person to creatively contribute to the decoration of your home, and allow each person their own space for expression.
- Whether you like an overly feathered nest, or a nest that just has the essentials, ensure your home delivers what you need from it: peace, calm, happiness and function.
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