There’s something about the new year that signals a fresh start; new beginnings. People set resolutions to lose weight, spend less or reduce screen time, just to name a few. One of the more popular intentions these days, especially in our world of over consumerism, is the resolve to declutter and organize one’s home. There are all sorts of challenges, calendars, hacks and articles about how to declutter and organize your home. The minimalist design trend is in full swing, and for good reason. There are plenty of benefits to having an organized home. There are plenty of articles about HOW to minimize clutter in your home, so we’re going to focus on WHY this is a worthwhile endeavor.

An organized home is a happy (stress-free) home.

Clutter and disorganization absolutely contribute to higher levels of stress, which can be dangerous for your health. When our homes (or offices) are in a state of disarray it visually overstimulates us, distracting us and taking our attention away from the important things we should be focused on. This can lead to decreased productivity and frustration as tasks mentally pile up in our brains just ask quickly as papers pile up on our desks. Clutter and disorganization signals to our brains that work has been left undone, leaving us constantly chasing after that feeling of accomplishment that comes with a job well done.

 

“It’s a very strange phenomenon, but when we reduce what we own and essentially ‘detox’ our house, it has a detox effect on our bodies as well.” – Marie Kondo

 

An organized home has a place for everything, and everything in its place.

How many times have you been late to an appointment or commitment because you couldn’t find your keys? Or your purse? Or the diaper bag? When our everyday items don’t have a designated space in our homes, they tend to land wherever we drop them when we walk in the door. When these commonly used items have a designated space in your home, you can get into an easy habit of putting them away each time you use them, making sure you aren’t wasting time every day searching underneath the couch cushions before you head out the door. If you think about all the time you spend each day looking for things, it can really add up over the course of months or years. So while you may spend some time organizing your home at first, you’ll give yourself back time in the long run.

In addition to saving time, an organized home can also save you some money. How many times have you gone to the grocery store for some obscure spice or ingredient that you need for a recipe, only to get home and realize you already have three of them in your cabinet, each of them opened and barely used? Or purchased a black sweater only to get home and realize you already have 6? By having things well organized in your home you’re less likely to purchase items you don’t need or already have duplicates of.

An organized home is easier to clean than a cluttered home.

This is our favorite reason to have an organized, clutter free home! We can’t tell you how many times we have clients tell us they have to spend time tidying up clutter before their housekeeper comes. When your home is well organized and free from clutter, your housekeeper can get started right away with the job of cleaning and disinfecting. Most housekeepers won’t put your shoes in the closet or put all the toys into the toy box before cleaning. Having an organized home and then creating routines around keeping things organized (shoes go in the closet as soon as you get home, toys get put away before bath time every night, etc.) will keep clutter from piling up and needing hours of attention at the end of the week or before your housekeeper comes.

So go ahead, start your decluttering and organizing journey today! And then connect with us to set up a weekly or bi-weekly cleaning service!