How Decluttering Your Home Supports Wellbeing in Later Life
Published: 21/02/2026
For many people, organising and decluttering starts as a practical task – clearing space, tidying drawers, making the home easier to manage. But as we get older, the state of our home can have a much deeper impact: on safety, independence, mental wellbeing, and even the type of care we need in the future.
From a home care perspective, a tidy, accessible environment is not a “nice to have” — it’s often fundamental to someone’s ability to live well at home.
Safety first: reducing everyday risks
When we begin supporting a new Client at Right at Home Wandsworth & Lambeth, one of the first things we do is carry out a detailed Risk Assessment. This includes looking closely at:
- trip hazards such as cluttered walkways, loose rugs, or trailing cables;
- overcrowded rooms that make mobility aids difficult to use;
- electrical risks from overloaded sockets or hard-to-reach switches;
- items stored too high, too low, or in illogical places.
Many falls and injuries don’t happen because someone is unsteady; they happen because the environment hasn’t adapted as needs have changed. Decluttering and reorganising a space can significantly reduce these risks and help people move around their home with greater confidence.
There is also growing evidence that our physical environment affects our mental health.
Research in psychology and neuroscience shows that cluttered spaces can increase stress levels, contribute to anxiety, and make it harder to focus or make decisions. For older adults, especially those experiencing memory changes, clutter can feel overwhelming and disorientating.
A calm, organised home supports:
- better mood and emotional regulation;
- reduced cognitive load as there is less to process and remember;
- greater sense of control and dignity;
- improved motivation to engage in daily routines.
Over the long term, this can support healthier ageing by helping people stay independent, engaged, and confident in their own space.
Organising as a cost saver in care
There’s also a very practical consideration: care is easier, quicker, and more effective in an organised home.
When everything has a clear place, carers can:
- help someone dress more efficiently;
- retrieve items without searching or causing frustration;
- make beds, tidy rooms, or prepare meals more smoothly;
- support routines without unnecessary time pressure.
This can mean care visits are used more effectively, and in some cases, fewer hours of support are needed because daily tasks simply flow better.
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Working together: care and organising, side by side
At Right at Home Wandsworth & Lambeth, our Carers can help with light tidying and everyday organisation as part of regular visits. However, larger decluttering or re-organising projects often need dedicated time, specialist skills, and a structured approach — this is where professional organisers like One Stop Organisers bring enormous value.
Together, we help create homes that are not just tidy — but safe, supportive, and fit for later life.
Because sometimes, organising isn’t just about space. It’s about care.