There’s been a lot of links shown between stress and an unorganized environment. Studies have demonstrated that a cluttered environment can actually have an impact on someone’s anxiety levels, with the brain interpreting this clutter as a demand for more energy and action, which triggers the stress response.
Or, for the short version, clutter can stress you out! If you’re already dealing with the hustle and bustle of daily life, you’re probably having a hard time getting things done around the house, which can stress you out even further...and it’s a maddening cycle. If you find yourself getting stressed out by the lack of organization in your home - or, worse, you’re getting stressed out about your attempts to organize - here’s a few things to keep in mind and focus on to reduce your anxiety levels!
- Don’t overdo it: It’s kind of a funny irony, but in a lot of cases, people’s stress levels can be affected by their attempts to organize things. If you’re tackling too many projects around the house at once, or if you find yourself getting bogged down by lengthy to-do lists that keep piling up, try to pare back and focus on what really needs to get done first - you’ll feel more accomplished and less anxious about everything!
- Pick your battles: If you’re finding yourself constantly overwhelmed by clutter but don’t know where to start, you can do yourself a huge favor by sitting down and figuring out what to prioritize and where to start. Kid’s room starting to freak you out? Need a little extra garage organization to get to the car in the morning? Prioritize what needs to be organized first, and work from there - the limits will help you stay focused and productive.
- Simplify your routines: One of the more common sources of organization-based clutter are the things we have to do every day, like get ready for work and school. Closet storage can help you get ready faster in the morning, and entryway storage can help you get out the door when you need to leave without wasting time looking for shoes or keys.
- Keep paperwork together: A pretty common source of anxiety is the idea of losing needed paperwork - tax documents, birth records, upcoming bills, and the like. You can find yourself a little more peace of mind by gathering all your mail and needed papers together with mail organizers and file cabinets to know they’re right at hand if and when you need them.
- Get your family to help: Finally, one of the biggest sources of stress is feeling like you have to take it all on yourself - but you shouldn’t! Get your family to help out in the garage and attic, get some kid’s lockers and plastic bins to clean up the kids’ bedrooms and playrooms, and everyone uses the bathroom - get everyone to help out!