Having people over at your home for a visit or a party can be a fun time, but things may take a bad turn if a guest trips and falls, suffering a serious injury that might require a trip to the doctors or even a hospital. While spilled liquid or a damaged floor may cause falls, sometimes clutter in a home contributes to someone’s injury.
Some people accumulate a lot of stuff in their homes and have trouble organizing it, which may create floor messes. Clutter presents a number of hazards, which is why it is important to keep rooms free of obstructions. WebMD explains some dangers of clutter that homeowners should be aware of.
Slips, trips and falls
The presence of boxes, clothes and knickknacks on your floor offers many opportunities for someone to slip or trip. A guest at your house may suffer a fall onto the floor, furniture or other clutter, any of which could cause serious injury on impact. Additionally, clutter can stack up over time and increase the risk of something falling off a tall stack and hitting someone in the head.
The possibility of home fire
Some clutter such as paper, aerosol cans, soft furnishings, and dry waste can be flammable. If you have too much flammable clutter, you may end up with a fire hazard. In addition to providing fire fuel, clutter may make it hard to get out of the house and summon help. Additionally, first responders will have trouble getting through the clutter to put out the fire and render aid.
Take steps to clear the clutter
People should clean up clutter not only because of personal hazards but because waiting to put off clutter runs the risk of the clutter expanding. Adults older than 50 years old tend to put off deciding what to throw out more than younger people. Too much stuff in the home can also boost stress and cause memory problems. Clearing your home may prevent a serious injury and boost your quality of life.
