Have you ever heard the phrase “a cluttered home is a cluttered mind?” Well it turns out there may be some truth to that. In 2011, a study conducted at Princeton University found that clutter can make it more difficult to focus on a specific task. Keeping a clean and organized living space can actually make us feel better. Even the way we describe our homes has a correlation to our mental and physical health. A study in 2010 that interviewed 60 women about their homes found that those who described their homes as “cluttered” or “full of unfinished projects” had higher instances on increased depressed mood throughout the day and increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Another study found that participants who kept their home clean were physically more active and healthy than those who didn’t, and found that cleanliness was actually a predictor of physical health more than neighborhood walkability. How tidy and organized our home is can even have an impact on our quality of sleep, according to a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation.
In The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, author Marie Kondo explores how tidying up can “spark joy in life, work and love.” The Japanese graphic novel took the world by storm, quickly becoming a best-seller in the United States. It seems the idea of tidy and organized resonates with people on a powerful level.
So how can you take steps to become more organized and less cluttered? Here are a few ways:
Be bold with sentimental objects. If it has been in a box for 20 years, no matter how much sentimentality may be attached to it, it’s likely it will stay in a box forever. Is it really being appreciated there? Could someone else in the family appreciate it in a more appropriate way? Could a museum benefit from it? Or is it time to cut the ties? Be vigilant.
Regularly de-clutter your closet. Don’t hold onto clothes from years ago because “they might fit again one day.” Turn your hangars around backwards in the closet, at the end of the year, donate any clothes still hanging on backward hangars. Or, if you buy a new shirt, donate an old one. Or every season aim to donate at least a bag or box of old clothes.
Have a garage sale. You may have plenty of functional things in the house that someone could gain some use from, see if you can sell them. Even better, organize a community or neighborhood garage sale followed by a barbecue to create fun and connection. Donate whatever is left over at the end.
Constantly tidy up. Don’t leave anything for later. If you walk past a dirty dish, bring it to the sink and wash it. Clothes on the floor? Drop them in the hamper right away. Be vigilant about tidying up small things in the moment, rather than doing one big clean at some other time.
Don’t keep too many things on counters, shelves, and floors. The fewer things you have taking up space in these areas, the less cluttered your home will feel.
Keeping a tidy home can improve physical health, sleep quality, and mental health. Making an effort to regularly tidy up your living (and work) spaces can free up mental and emotional space for more important things in your life. Just a few minutes a day can go a long way in allowing more space in your home and mind for the important things.