An excessive amount of clutter in your home or business can be a risk to your physical safety. But did you know that it can also be what’s holding you back from being focused and happy?

Sometimes we like to hold onto things that have sentimental value, and things that we think we “just might need” someday. Other times, we just say that we’re too busy to get around to sorting through our junk-putting it off and putting it off until it becomes an insurmountable task that we can never seem to find the time to get around to. Whatever the reason is, an excessive amount of stuff that we don’t need isn’t good to have around.

We’re not saying that you should throw out your every worldly possession. But if you experience any of the five symptoms of Too Much Clutter listed below, it might be time to start hauling out some stuff.

1). You lose time looking for things.
If you are living a life surrounded by-let’s call it what it is-junk, you’re probably not functioning in a well-organized space. It’s tough to find a place for everything when the number of possessions vastly outnumbers the places in your home to put it all. When this happens, you’ll likely find yourself scrambling to find that important computer disc, family heirloom or cell phone at the worst possible times. The more time that you take out of your day doing this, the less productive time that you will have. This can lead to immense frustration and the annoyance of lost time.

2). You actively avoid spending time at home.
If your space is filled to the brim with unneeded and unwanted stuff, you might try to avoid going there entirely so that you don’t have to confront the mess. Some people feel that they are imprisoned by their belongings, and without some outside help they might even feel powerless to do anything about it. So they just work extra long hours and spend time outside of the home as often as possible to avoid that sinking feeling of despair. This isn’t healthy, and anything that keeps you from being comfortable in your personal spaces should be addressed.

3). You constantly feel overwhelmed.
The presence of a lot of junk around a person can make them feel like a failure. It can reinforce ideas that they might have about themselves-like that they are lazy, or that they spend too much time procrastinating. Being ultra-harsh on oneself does nothing good for the brain. You have other things in your life to tend to, and the clutter just seems to fall onto the backburner whenever you try to address it. The junk removal professionals at ABH Services can help you get your head on straight and tackle the mess directly.

4). You’re suffering from unexplained health problems.
All kinds of things can lurk within the confines of a big, cluttered mess. Some homeowners have found mold, pests and other health-jeopardizing elements when they finally get around to removing some of the clutter. Additionally, people who live in cleaner and more organized spaces tend to weigh less, experience greater satisfaction in their lives overall and have an easier time curbing any bad habits they may have.

5). You feel ashamed of your home.
Have you avoided inviting friends or family over to your place, even though you would really like to? Have you done so out of shame of your home, worrying that the people in your life might judge you negatively for it? While the opinions of others aren’t as meaningful as our opinions of ourselves, there is something to be said for situations where you feel you just “can’t” bring guests over. In the case of the housebound, this can lead to severe depression related to feelings of isolation.

Is the mess in your life getting out of control? Has it become so massive that you have no idea where to begin? Call ABH Services today at 781-941-2422. Since 1996, we have worked with families, contractors and individuals within the Boston area to make a house a home again by removing unwanted clutter.