More than 4000 people completed a recent survey and it showed some shocking results about our cluttering habits as a nation! 95% of people confessed to holding onto things they can not bring themselves to part with but only 24% actually said they were ‘hoarders’. The conclusion from this is that we are a nation of secret hoarders that can not ditch those items that no longer have a use.
Common Culprits
Comic books, magazine collections and stamps are some of the most common items to be hoarded, with books, old CDs and clothes not far behind. Results of the survey showed that people over the age of 45 seemed to be more upfront about their hoarding habits. It also showed that people in Wales, Scotland and the North East were more likely to be culprits than other parts of the United Kingdom.
How Clutter Affects Your Day To Day Life
Having clutter in the home can be a common cause for embarrassment when you are expecting visitors. Half of the people surveyed revealed they are often ashamed of the state of their home. Women in the 35-44 year age bracket were the most likely to have this concern. Over 80% said that tidying and de-cluttering their home greatly improved their mood, particularly for women. This indicates that clutter and hoarding could have a negative effect on our moods. Surprisingly, only 61% of survey respondents claimed to find clutter stressful, indicating that perhaps the effect it has on our moods is subconscious.
How To Use Some Extra Space
So why not clean the clutter and reveal the potential of the space in your home? It will be a much nicer living environment for everyone if your extra space was put to a more positive use. Perhaps you could have an office in one part of the room? Increasing numbers of people work from home now and this could make things more comfortable. Or maybe some extra storage for your children’s toys? Another good look is to simply rearrange your furniture and lay a nice rug. This can make the room look much bigger and homelier.