Warning: 7 Signs that Clutter Has Taken Over Your Home

January 18th, 2012 General Organizing Advice

Eeeeeeek, how do you KNOW if clutter is winning the fight for clear, uncluttered surfaces in your home? Take a good look at these 7 warning signs and see who’s winning in your home:

Clutter Warning #1: Emotional Upheaval

Discord amongst your family members about how the house is kept
Frustration, anger & depression over the clutter & condition of your home can be red flags
Your “stuff” has crossed the line from being a source of pleasure to an unwelcome source of stress

Clutter Warning #2: Clutter Overwhelm

You may feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of ’stuff’ in your home and not sure how to begin to tackle it

Clutter Warning #3: Embarrassment

You may feel embarrassed that your home in in disarray
You may be embarrassed that you let it get that way
You may be embarrassed to invite people into your home
Your family members may be embarrassed to invite friends over so they go visit other people instead

Clutter Warning #4: Duplicate Purchases

You may not be able to find items that you just KNOW you have in the house because they just plain aren’t easy to find. This will cause two problems:

1) You will repurchase the item causing you to spend money you didn’t need to spend

2) You will add to the clutter because now you have duplicates

Clutter Warning #5: Damage to Your Home

Can your home breathe easy or do you have piles going up the walls that are causing dangerous mold to manifest?
Is your stuff creating nice, soft, warm, cuddly homes for creatures that should be living outdoors (aka rats)?

Clutter Warning #6: Paper Pain

Do you have large (not just a few, but large) stacks of old newspapers and magazines piled high?
What about junk mail from 2003? Oh snap!
Paying bills late because you can’t find them can sure be a sign. You’ll know for sure when the electricity is turned off.
Are you losing money (cash or checks) or gift cards because they are buried under piles of paper? My biggest client find so far: $500 cash, that was a good day!

Clutter Warning #7: No Clear Surfaces to be Found

No table top is safe because you find a space and you fill it up
You can’t sit on the couch or sleep in your bed without moving piles
You trip over stuff on the floor (not just a toy here or there, real stuff)

We all may have one of these signs here and there, but you need to really look at whether or not you have a pattern going on here, whether your home is functioning well and whether or not you feel good in your space. For ideas on 20 easy things to toss to get you started, please read more here. And, I’ve also included some “after” shots here too.