Do you ever feel scattered and pulled in too many directions at once. Does looking at a pile of clutter make your stress levels and blood pressure rise? If so, you are not alone. Many Americans will attest to the fact that when their homes are chaotic, their mental health is chaotic as well. Getting and staying organized can make a huge difference in quality of life and can make setting and achieving goals so much easier. Take small steps to improve your home organization, and improve your mental health today.
Clutter Linked to Anxiety and Depression
When your home is cluttered, it is not only difficult to locate items when you need them, but it also leads to increased stress levels. A study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found, “Researchers have long recognized that people’s experiences and perceptions of their everyday environments can inform their well-being. For example, the physical characteristics of living and work spaces, including features like crowding, clutter, noise, and artificial light, have been shown to affect mood and health in populations ranging from young children to senior citizens.”
Conversely, when our homes are well organized and peaceful, it has a beneficial effect on our emotional wellbeing. People who describe their homes as restful are more likely to have a healthy mental outlook, and lower odds of depression than their peers living in cluttered environments.
Take Action to Clear the Clutter
Identify the clutter “hot spots” in your home, and take steps to begin to tackle them. Is there an area where paper clutter or mail accumulates? Get in the habit of dealing with papers as soon as they come through the door of your home. Throw away or recycle what is not needed, and create a system for filing any papers that need to be saved.
Another common hot spot is the kitchen. Deal with messes as they arise rather than waiting to deal with it. If your kids spill juice, take 30 seconds to wipe it up right away rather than letting it dry. Clean up the kitchen as part of your meal prep process. Clear the table and load the dishwasher immediately after meals. Try not to leave dishes sitting in the sink overnight. Hand wash any large pots and pans, and wipe down your counters so your kitchen is clean and ready to go for the next meal.
Laundry is another struggle for many families. Come up with a laundry solution that works best for you. In many cases, doing one load of laundry a day from start to finish can help you stay on top of this neverending task. Don’t wait to fold and put away your laundry. Wash, dry, fold, and put each load away in the same day. This will help you to avoid having multiple baskets of clean laundry piled up throughout the house.
Take Small Steps to Improve Organization
Once you have identified your hot spots, you can begin taking steps to deal with them. Having a cleaner, more organized home will support emotional wellness as part of your healthy lifestyle. Take small steps today, and before you know it you will have transformed your home into a relaxing oasis for your entire family to enjoy.
