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Before I got into decluttering and organizing, I remember I had a roommate whose moods you could read just by observing what she did to busy herself around our apartment. Anytime I came home and found her knee-deep in decluttering or organizing, I knew she was having a bad day, and that I should either ask what was wrong or leave her to her sorting.

At the time, I just thought this was an odd personality quirk specific to her. It seemed counterintuitive to me. How could something which I thought of as a chore be stress-relieving? Surely it would increase stress levels, not alleviate them.

Since then, however, I have learned firsthand about the psychological benefits of decluttering and organizing. I have also learned that it is a pretty common reaction to stress, and really can lead to an immediate reduction in it.

Still, I run into people who wonder why others declutter to relieve stress. Ignoring the simple fact that having a less cluttered home can in itself be less stressful, here are some reasons why I think the actual act of decluttering and organizing can help alleviate stress, anxiety, or other forms of emotional distress.

1. Reducing the amount of stuff in your life can literally feel like unburdening yourself.

For me, decluttering can feel like I have just dropped a heavy load I’ve been carrying around on my back. I can actually feel a weight lift, at least in my mind. Even though that might be an illusion, it can be a powerful one when one feels like the weight of the world is on one’s shoulders.

2. You are letting go of the past.

Feng Shui decluttering tips often focus on the importance of keeping items which remind us of the past out of areas of the home where we should be focused on the present. A good example is the bedroom, especially the space underneath the bed.

I do not totally hold to that, but it can certainly feel good getting rid of items that remind one of unwanted yesterdays. Sometimes the physical act of literally letting go of pieces of the past can help us to do the same psychologically. We can then live more fully in the now.

3. You feel like you are opening space for positive possibilities.

When you clear out a physical space in a room, it can feel like you have also cleared out a metaphorical space in your life. You have released unnecessary baggage and made room for a brighter future. You are symbolically inviting hopeful possibilities into your existence, and adopting a forward-thinking mindset.

These benefits alone seem more than sufficient to explain why people declutter to reduce stress. Nonetheless, I have discovered at least a few more reasons why getting rid of what you do not need and organizing the items that are important to you can help reduce your stress levels. Read on to Why Declutter and Organize When You Are Stressed? Part 2