If you’re not sure whether decluttering is worth it, and you need a bit of motivation to get started on tackling it – then these clutter statistics may just help!
I love knowing some data around anything I do (it’s the Mathematician in me #mathsdegree) – and the data around clutter and organising is totally eye opening, to say the least!
In fact, researchers are learning more and more important information about clutter and it’s negative effects – from how much time is wasted on lost items (looking for them, re-buying them etc…), and how much money is wasted on items unused (storage costs as well), to the damage to relationships (stress from clutter can wreak havoc) – plus a whole myriad of other stuff.
If you’ve ever needed a reason to declutter, or you’re not sure that clutter is really that big of an issue, then these clutter statistics are definitely worth a read, and I hope they help clarify that, yes, it really can be!
Eye opening clutter statistics that put a new light on your stuff
The average person today (1999) receives more information on a daily basis, than the average person received in a lifetime in 1900.
UNKNOWN
Whether it be paperwork, the internet, school, work etc… – we are bombarded every second with things to read and action – there really IS no let up.
So it makes sense to get as much of it under control as possible.
Ways to do this include having a great paperwork system for your incoming papers in your home (school, work, social, legal etc…), unsubscribing from eMails you don’t need, getting taken off the postal junk mail lists, and limiting internet time for social stuff.
{ Worth a look: ADORE Your Paperwork – step by step system to sorting out the paper mountain }
Getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40 percent of housework in the average home.
NATIONAL SOAP & DETERGENT ASSOCIATION
I’m in! – and it makes total sense, because without as much stuff – you wouldn’t have to clean it, maintain it etc…. – I feel relaxed just thinking about it…
Women’s’ stress levels are directly proportional to the amount of stuff in their homes. Research has shown that women who perceive their homes to be cluttered tend to have unhealthy patterns of cortisol levels.
2009 ucla study from celf
Whether you realise it or not, when you look around your home, your subconscious will be listing all the things you need to get done. That pile of washing to put away, the box to unpack, the shopping to find a place for – it all adds to our stress levels, and that can be so damaging day in and day out…
Stress triggered by clutter may also trigger coping and avoidance strategies, like eating junk food, oversleeping or binge-watching Netflix.
2016 CORNELL UNIVERSITY STUDY
Really interesting. I know that I feel less happy when there is clutter around me – and I can easily see that triggering coping mechanisms in people.
Up to 60% of the rubbish that ends up in the dustbin could be recycled
recycling-guide.org.uk
Each person produces 4.6lb of trash per day in the United States
recycling-guide-org.uk
23 percent of adults say they pay bills late (and incur fees) because they lose them.
HARRIS INTERACTIVE
The average Briton clings on to £514 worth of unused goods that simply lie dormant, gathering dust
BHF.ORG
{ Worth a read: 7 Insider tips for selling things online }
In a survey of over 4000 brits in 2017 – 61% of households in the UK argue about clutter at least once a month with over a third arguing every single week
LOVESPACE.CO.UK
Life is hard enough without adding clutter into the mix….
In a survey of over 4000 brits in 2017 – 81% that said that a tidy up improved their mood, and women were also more likely to have their spirits lifted by a tidy house than men
LOVESPACE.CO.UK
The UK uses 37.6 million sq.ft of storage space, which is the equivalent of a staggering 268,500 removal vans
HOUSEBEAUTIFUL.COM
Storage unit rentals are BIG business. But unless there’s a really really REALLY good reason to have one – I’d advise against it.
We tend to fill the space we have available – and if we allow ourselves space away from the house – it’s likely to be filled and forgotten about. Then you’ll be paying for storing stuff you don’t actually need…
The only time I would say that storage unit rental is worthwhile – is if you’re moving house. If you need to stage your home and declutter it of items that you will definitely need in your new home, then go for it!
The average U.S. household has 300,000 things
LATIMES.COM
No wonder a lot of homes have a clutter problem. This number blows my mind with the amount of excess clutter we all must have, without even realising most of it exists.
Not to mention all those misplaced items hiding behind other stuff…
U.S. children make up 3.7% of children on the planet but have 47% of all toys and children’s books
LATIMES.COM
British research found that the average 10-year-old owns 238 toys but plays with just 12 daily
TELEGRAPH.CO.uk
This is one of the most eye opening clutter stats of the collection, in my opinion.
Have you ever tried the toy rotation technique?
Kids get overwhelmed with too much stuff in their environment too – so why not try taking most of the toys away and just leaving a selection for the kids to play with?. It makes it easier for them to see what they have, and to choose what they want to play with. They don’t miss what they can’t see, and you can rotate other toys in every week or two to make things fresh.
Over the course of our lifetime, we will spend a total of 10 mins every day looking for an average of 9 lost items. This equates to 3,680 hours or 153 days searching!
DAILYMAIL.co,uk
A huge negative effect of clutter is the time it wastes every day. Those lost keys / sunglasses / clothes etc… need to be sorted out once and for all.
On average we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items. That’s over 8,700 hours looking for lost or misplaced things!
NAPO – National Association of Professional Organizers US
There you have it – all the clutter statistics you could ever need!
I’m sure that reading them all has put things into perspective, and given a new angle to your stuff.
And if you have been inspired to start decluttering your own home and life as a result – then why not get started now with this simple list of 101 things to declutter.
It’s a great starting point (and you can grab a printable checklist of them all for free too!) – just CLICK HERE.