As a professional organizer, it is my job to solve problems. A cluttered room presents a puzzle that needs to be dissected and put back together in an orderly form. My love of order has been with me most of my life and is likely the reason I’ve always been a numbers girl. Math was one of my favorite subjects in school and I find data and statistics interesting. What I like most about data is that it gives you feedback that is concrete and measurable. Depending on the problem you’re trying to solve, you can then choose to ignore the results or do something about them. By sharing the results of studies pertaining to clutter perhaps you’ll be inspired to solve your organizing challenges. See how you stack up!
$10
– Average cost per square foot of clutter in your home. Given Bay Area real estate prices, I’m sure that number is much, much higher. (Source: Yahoo Homes)
1 Year
– Amount of time the average American spends of his or her life looking for lost or misplaced items. Life it short, is how do you want to spend your time? (Source: National Association of Professional Organizers)
1 out of 3
– People report having a room for stuff that has no other spot in their home. If you have an entire room devoted to stuff you don’t know what to do with, you likely have too much stuff. (Source: Survey of more than 1000 Americans by Clearvoice Research)
1 in 7
– Americans have a room in their home they cannot use because it is filled with things they rarely use. Along similar lines of my previous comment: If you have an entire room devoted to stuff you rarely use, you likely have too much stuff. (Source: Survey of more than 1000 Americans by Clearvoice Research)
48%
– Of Americans consider their homes to be at least somewhat cluttered with items they no longer use. Given the popularity of online ordering (thank you Amazon!), the volume of incoming items is usually much greater than the volume of outgoing items. (Source: Survey of more than 1000 Americans by Clearvoice Research)
$1,000
– Perceived dollar value of unused items sitting around the homes of 50% of Americans. Just imagine how that money could be used to help your family if you’re struggling financially. You can’t get it back, but you may want to think before you bring something new into your home. Or, could those items be donated and benefit someone who has less resources than you do? (Source: Survey of more than 1000 Americans by Clearvoice Research)
Top Unused Items in the Average American Home:
1. Clothes & shoes – 67%
2. Games & toys – 34%
3. Electronics – 33%
4. Jewelry & accessories – 22%
5. Kitchen utensils – 18%
This is great food for thought. What could you do to lessen these items in your home? Things to try: Pull 5 items from your wardrobe and designate them for donation, or pick up 5 items in your kids’ rooms or their play room and send them to a charity. Do this a couple times a week for a month and you’ll likely see a difference in your clutter volume. (Source: Survey of more than 1000 Americans by Clearvoice Research)