A more compact living space holds solutions to many lifestyle challenges, not least of which a daily struggle that many of us face, against clutter.

Stress

Clutter quite literally works on our nerves. There is a direct correlation between the stress hormone, cortisol, and clutter.

Clutter is visually restless because there’s so much of it to look at and it’s all different – you don’t know what to focus on. It’s also a constant reminder of things that you’re not finding the time to sort out and this builds stress over time.

Mothers have been found to experience elevated cortisol levels when having to deal with a child’s messy room, or sharing a bedroom with a spouse or partner who isn’t as neat as they are.

The trouble with constantly fluctuating levels of cortisol is that it takes a toll on the body. Hormones are powerful chemicals and having too much of them in our blood changes the structures of the brain over time. The saying is the mind changes the brain, which changes the mind, and it becomes a vicious cycle that is difficult to stop.

The stress caused by clutter is not confined to individual members of a family, or group of people who live together. It spills over into relationships as well, and can cause tremendous tension.

The statistics also show that women are affected by this more than men. Presumably because women, on average, are more often responsible for domestic duties than men. The balance is shifting, but it’s still heavily slanted towards women.

Solutions

The obvious solution is to sort out the stuff that clutters your life, in order to create more space where you live. But possessions have a way of multiplying again, so this is often a temporary solution only.

Or, you could make a conscious decision to change where and how you live. This is a lifestyle choice that has been driving a worldwide trend towards living with less – not only space but also possessions. It’s becoming less and less about belongings and more and more about experiences – most of which will be enjoyed outside of home.

It’s for this reason that smaller homes and apartments have become so popular, also in South Africa. Property developers have responded to the demand and are building smaller places, which are proving popular – not only because they are more affordable to purchase, but also to maintain, and residents are much less likely to be drowning in possessions and clutter.

The Amdec Group offers a choice of options for this type of new urban living. They build world-class developments like One on Whiteley at Melrose Arch and The Yacht Club in Cape Town. One on Whiteley is located within Melrose Arch, one of South Africa’s most established and popular mixed-use precincts. This makes a compact lifestyle both possible and pleasurable by bringing so much choice to your doorstep that you never have to go far for enjoyable experiences. There are shops, offices, hotels, health clubs, bars, restaurants, coffee shops and more – all within walking distance of your home. Combine this with the fact that Melrose Arch is one of the safest public places in Johannesburg and you’ll see why it’s proving so popular with investors and homebuyers alike.

If you’d like to look into living or investing at One on Whiteley, please contact Tersia Taljaard on 087 897 0222 or email tersiat@amdec.co.za to discuss opportunities at Melrose Arch, or any other of the Amdec Group’s developments.