Can Decluttering Help Drop Weight?

There’s plenty of motivation for older adults to declutter and simplify around the house.  It may help to have fewer things to trip over on that nightly visit to the loo or it could be in preparation for downsizing to a smaller abode.  And heaven knows, adult children these days aren’t interested in dealing with polishing the sterling silver flatware.

But could streamlining our living space also help adults lose weight?   Does hoarding behavior lead to obesity?    It stands to reason that if your home is cluttered, especially in the kitchen, it may be difficult to find space and motivation to cook healthy meals.  But in a clean, sparse room where everything is easy to find and within reach, meal preparation is a snap.

Author Peter Walsh writes about just this subject in his book Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight.  He used a test group of 25 people who were overweight and had a cluttered home.  After participating in a 6-week organizing and decluttering program, all the participants had lost an average weight of 10 pounds.

According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, more than a third of adults over the age of 60 are considered obese.  Obesity contributes to life threatening health problems including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.

Organizing your living space gives most people an immediate sense of accomplishment and a jolt of new energy which may also help declutterers reduce.   Being weighed down with too much stuff can lead to depression and a sense of helplessness but by taking charge of your possessions, it can free people up to make other positive life changes.  Ridding the pantry of junk food, making time for exercise or learning to cook healthier meals can all be welcome side-effects of decluttering and organizing.

To learn more about decluttering and weight loss, visit www.peterwalshdesign.com .