Decluttering your life improves everything
Lorin Carpenter
I am a neat freak. I love all things organization…label makers, drawer dividers, you name it. If you can use it to organize and tidy up, I own it and it brings me joy.
In recent years, I have emancipated myself from “stuff” and learned to place less value on material items. My home is totally free of clutter. I have no knick knacks, nothing on the counters, no duplicate items in kitchen drawers, I edit my closet constantly and have developed the discipline to not buy more.
My purse is organized, my car’s center console and trunk are organized, my inbox is organized, my junk drawer is organized. Decluttering and being organized allows me to live my best life because I am no longer weighed down, slowed down or distracted by unnecessary stuff.
Let’s face it, life today is busier than ever. Everyone seems to feel completely overwhelmed when faced with their endless to-do list. And on top of it all, the sheer amount of stuff in our homes or workplace can leave us feeling exhausted and anxious before we even get started. I simply cannot function at work if my space is messy or cluttered.
Home organization experts have always recommended decluttering to make our spaces safer, tranquil, productive and more enjoyable. In addition, research shows that clutter can be bad for your mental and physical health. By cleaning out closets, cabinets and discarding items we no longer use, we are improving our overall well-being, one purged item at a time.
Having less helps you improve your health and get more out of life so let's break it down. By tidying up you will:
- Have more time. Chaotic surroundings mean you end up constantly looking for lost items, which takes up valuable time.
- Save money. You will know what you have and where to find it. You won't waste money purchasing duplicate items or buying things you don't need.
- Eat healthier. When you fail to meal plan, it is easier to make a bad food choice. Plus, the stress brought on by clutter can lead to overeating “comfort foods.”
- Breathe easier. When you remove things you don't need, you have less items to collect dust and fewer piles of junk to move in order to clean. Less dust equals better air quality and easier breathing.
- Reduce Stress. Removing clutter is like removing heavy chains that weigh you down. Clutter slows you down, makes you more tired and is just plain stressful.
- Be more productive. Clutter is visually distracting. When you cut clutter, you'll be able to think more efficiently. Studies show that clutter overloads the visual cortex and interferes with its ability to process information.
All great points, right?
But the thought of decluttering our homes and offices makes most of us feel overwhelmed, anxious and defeated before we even get started. We are ready to declutter but get tripped up by the question of where to start.
For inspiration, I always suggest reading “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” written by Marie Kondo, who has sold millions of copies of her books on the art of decluttering. Here are her top tips for a tidier more joyful home.
- Do it all at once. Tidy all at once rather than in little increments ...and to do it sooner rather than later.
- Declutter one category at a time. Instead of going room by room, go category by category. Pull all of the items you have from one category into one pile and go through them piece by piece. All your clothes. All your pens. All your kitchen utensils.
- Consider the joy factor. Consider each item, hold it in your hands and if it brings you joy, keep it. If it doesn't, donate or toss it.
- Start with the easy items. Things that you have no emotional attachment to like kitchen utensils and utility type items are much easier to discard than old photographs or love letters.
- Decrease paper clutter. Keep essential papers such as birth certificates, mortgages, insurance and employment contracts. And in a perfect world, scan and keep them digitally. Toss old bills and statements that can be found online.
- Respect your belongings. Treat your items like you might treat a friend. Once you take this attitude, you’ll keep them in better condition and prevent them from becoming damaged, cluttered, or stuffed into tiny spaces.
- Designate a place for every item. For example, find a home for your keys. Instead of laying them on the kitchen counter always return them to their home and you will no longer lose time searching for them.
If the thought of living a simplified, uncluttered life sounds attractive to you, then consider the benefits of owning fewer material items — less to organize, less to clean, less stress, less debt, and more energy and money to spend on our true passions — then it’s time to tidy up. By releasing yourself from clutter, you will feel so much lighter — physically, spiritually and otherwise. So what are you waiting for?
Lorin Carpenter’s attention to detail and knack for organizing anything from people to pantries to spreadsheets has been instrumental for her career path. As co-owner of Radiantly Healthy Vitamin Infusion Drip Lounge, she combines her love for business and management, branding and design, organization, optimal health, and serving people.
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