• 25{911ea05452e114f1778c76ca86733b6032c246f8f651bb1f01d12abf04b54efb} of people with two-car garages don’t have room to park cars inside them; 32{911ea05452e114f1778c76ca86733b6032c246f8f651bb1f01d12abf04b54efb} have room for only one car (U.S. Department of Energy)
• The home organization industry, valued at $8 billion, has more than doubled since 2000 at a rate of 10{911ea05452e114f1778c76ca86733b6032c246f8f651bb1f01d12abf04b54efb} each year.
OVER THE COLES: Every day is a good day for environmental stewardship
Peter Walsh, an organizational expert and former host of The Learning Channel’s “Clean Sweep” show, divides clutter into two general types. “Memory” clutter is stuff that reminds us of important events, like old school programs or newspaper clippings. “Someday” clutter refers to items you won’t toss because you feel you might need them someday.
“It’s about balance,” Walsh says of clutter control. “If you have so much stuff it drags you into the past or pulls you into the future, you can’t live in the present. When people see clutter, they use language like ‘suffocating.”
Not only can living with too much stuff create falling hazards, clutter is bad for your physical and mental health. Too much clutter can be a fire hazard. Dust, mold, and animal dander that collect in cluttered homes are all bad for allergies and asthma. All of these things can be just the beginning of more serious health issues down the road.
So, how do you get rid of Grandpa’s lucky fishing hat or the Depression glass candy dish Great-grandma used? How do you dispose of a jewelry collection your mother spent a lifetime building, or cast off the huge China cabinet from your childhood home, even though you really don’t want it and it doesn’t fit in your home? Start small.
