Declutter To Stay Safe At Home

As we get older, it’s important to acknowledge that our needs are likely to change as time goes on and if we are to continue living independently, we may well have to make a few home adaptations here and there in order to facilitate this.

Mobility becomes a big concern the older we get, with joints and muscles getting weaker, which makes it far more likely that we’ll have an accident of some kind, with slips, trips and falls one of the leading causes of injury in older people.

However, there’s a lot you can do to mitigate the risks and one of the first steps you can take is to declutter the house from top to bottom. 

Having fewer belongings getting in your way will instantly make it easier and safer for you to navigate your way through your home – and the added benefit is that cleaning will be easier as well!

If you rely on mobility aids like stairlifts or similar, it’s essential that you’re able to move around with ease and if there are lots of items on the floor, this will naturally be quite dangerous, so it’s certainly worth taking the time to see if there are any possessions you can get rid of.

When you start decluttering, make sure that you don’t overwhelm your spaces with stuff. You still need to be able to move around safely as you work, so perhaps do a little and often at first, making sure that you don’t box yourself into any corners or that you don’t put boxes behind doors, which can be hazardous if you need to leave the house in a rush.

Tackle each room one at a time so you don’t overface yourself – and perhaps consider asking a friend or relative to lend a helping hand. You may find that the more you do, the more you want to do. Before you know it, your home will be a significantly safer place in which to live.