Clutter Control an Important Part of Home Safety

Q. My arthritis is worsening and I am having more trouble keeping newspapers and magazines from piling up in my house. In addition, it’s difficult parting with things that have meant so much to me through the years. Is this a common problem?

Yes it is, but there are solutions. While clutter is not a problem unique to seniors, conditions of aging including arthritis can lead to disorder and chaos.
Too much clutter is a safety risk such as slipping on loose papers, threat of fire or the health effects of mold and mildew. Clutter might also make you uncomfortable to have guests in your home.

We suggest a three-step plan using three bins -- one for the stuff you want to keep, one for donations and the other for trash. If you need a little help, why not enlist the assistance of a family member like a daughter or granddaughter. It could be a fun activity and an event that will help you share memories with your loved ones. Here are some other ideas:

• Save only a piece of a dress to make a quilt or display it in a shadow box. Scrapbooking and converting photos to DVDs are other ways to save treasured keepsakes without all the extra mess.

• Give unused gifts back to the giver or grandchildren.

• Buy a shredder to help you dispose of those unwanted papers. Recycle newspapers and magazines.

• Say “no” to free stuff and get off junk mail lists. (Go to http://www.dmachoice.org/, http://www.catalogchoice.org/, http://www.optoutprescreen.com/ for help getting off the lists.)

• If your family doesn’t want old photos, give them to museum, historical society, theater, library, church or synagogue.

Maybe what you really need is companionship. Make sure your stuff isn’t taking the place of people. Loneliness may also lead to depression, which also makes it difficult for seniors to get organized. Consider the services of a professional organizer and caregiver. CAREGiversSM from the locally owned Home Instead Senior Care® network would be happy to help you manage your home and keep you company.

For more information about Home Instead Senior Care of Carroll County, visit www.homeinstead.com/627.1. For more information visit http://www.cluttercreep.com/.