Did you know that mess can cause stress?
For those of you who don’t know this yet, a simple mess can actually lead to stress and anxiety. And based on recent studies, the threat of being stressed out can result in complications to our physical and mental well-being.
Read more as we are going to discuss how clutter and stress are connected and take the necessary action to remove the mess out of your life once and for all in today’s entry.
Get To Know The Facts
In a research study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), 32 families were tested to determine the relationship of each family member between the objects in their houses. It was found out that clutter in rarely touched areas like the closet has a significant effect on a person’s mood and self-esteem. To be specific:
- The more stuff inside the closet, the more stress a woman feels.
- The more unwashed dishes in the sink, the more a woman feels anxious.
- The more a person will feel “emotionally paralyzed” when trying to clear the clutter as they believe that a certain object either holds a sentimental or hidden monetary value.
So based on this study, closet clutter and messy homes, in general, can cause us to feel anxious, stressed, overwhelmed, and helpless. But the sad truth is that clutter is not recognized as a primary stressor in our lives.
Get Rid Of Stress By Cleaning Up The Mess
Fortunately, the stress caused by clutter can be easily addressed - declutter your house one area at a time. Start by organizing your bedroom closet first and then your entire bedroom.
We recommend you do this as waking up to a clean bedroom will make you feel good.
Then start clearing the clutter in your kitchen - this is another big clutter dump zone. So go through each of your cabinets and separate the must-haves from the not, and then arrange all the things in the surrounding area afterward.
Keep all the counters and islands free of too many items. This will make you feel less cluttered -- if everything has a home, it will be easier to stay organized.
Once you’re done, you can remove the clutter from your living room, bathroom, and even your garage. Just remember to clean one area at a time and not do deal with them altogether.
But wait! Another mistake a lot of my clients make is to start with organizing one space, then stopping. It is crucial to organize the entire home (in as many steps as it takes), so everything has a place. This will make it easier to stay organized and will save you money!
As for the things that you think might hold some value, you can still keep these things, but it's better to keep them in one box -- that way it will help you parcel down the amount of sentimental items you keep, and it can still look tidy.
Overall, clutter and stress are connected in more ways than you can imagine. And there are scientific studies to prove this idea. So if you want to remove the stress at home today, then it’s time to make your move and start decluttering.
Hopefully that made you feel better. We are here to help you get organized -- if it's feeling too overwhelming, reach out to us today!