How organizing makes us happy
Home organizing grew its popularity in the last couple of years as people started seeing how much benefit it brings to our daily lives. Organizing makes us happy and it’s official!
Organizing does make us happy, but have you ever thought about why?
During organizing, we feel productive and we see a change which we are creating. That gives our happy hormones a boost, just like a good workout.
So let’s dive deeper into it because there are some things I’d like to point out that no one is talking about. Something like – organizing in harmony with nature.
- Before vs Now
- Where to start
- De-clutter to re-lax
- Ask for help
- Benefits of organizing your home
- Plan – execute – enjoy
BEFORE VS NOW
Back in the day when women used to stay at home and take care of chores and kids, it went without saying that a house would be taken care of as well.
But nowadays when we have even up to 3 jobs, careers to build, kids with endless amounts of after-school activities and hobbies, home organizing becomes a chore that’s not in the top 3 on people’s priority lists. Agree?
WHERE TO START
A lot of people get all crabby when you mention organizing, but that could change by simply changing our approach to it. Let’s forget about “perfect” Netflix-Instagram-proof organizing for a second and just ….relax.
Ask yourself a simple question – how do I feel? In here, or around all this, or with all this stuff I own? Do I need and use them all? Is there anything else I could use this space for?
Let go of expectations and “rules” someone else tried to impose on you, unrealistic and often very expensive projects, and instead decide for yourself what makes you happy.
With that attitude, we can go to the next step.
DE-CLUTTER TO RE-LAX
According to Psychology Today clutter takes our attention away from what our minds should be focused on. It’s an overload for our brain to deal with all the visual stimuli, which distracts us and eventually tires us down.
As an HSP (highly sensitive person), I speak from my own experience when I say that clutter makes me nervous and that I will not be able to enjoy my cup of coffee if clothes are hanging from the ceiling. Until the space looks decent again, my brain literally won’t let me focus on anything else.
Make a mess to de-stress is what I call it. Take on the space by literally touching and checking every single thing and decide if it stays or goes.
I have a simple guide that helped my friends start with this most important step. Go ahead and check it out right here.
After that, and only after that, you may start dreaming about the storage and aesthetics of the space. As that part feels overwhelming for so many people, they just block. They get stuck and decide to not even start. The result is – an uncomfortable, irritating space that makes you nervous and here we are back at the beginning.
This frustration is what I hear the most about from my clients. You can and you should always ask for help.
ASK FOR HELP
Asking for help is already difficult, you might say, but here I am to convince you to do so. Please take your mental health seriously and don’t play a superwoman role 24/7. You as a woman already have so many powers, but they ONLY work if you optimize the system. Let go of this ridiculous social expectation and take care of things you can.
There are only so many hours in a day and I’m not gonna tell you (not now) how important self-care is. You deserve to rest. You deserve to breathe.
Progress, not perfection. You will hear that one again from me.
BENEFITS OF ORGANIZING YOUR HOME
Having more time to get ready instead of running around looking for stuff, is right there one of them.
Jokes aside, being organized lowers cortisol levels and automatically improves your mood. An organized office will make you feel productive. An organized kitchen and pantry will motivate you to cook, because you will know exactly what you have in the house, and shopping is done easily. You get the point.
Organizing makes us happy by rewarding us with more freedom and extra time for fun, hobbies, friends & family.
PLAN – EXECUTE – ENJOY
When we break it down into simple steps, believe me, it will make more sense but we have to start from the beginning.
Make time in your calendar for a regular checkup. Make everyone in your household aware of it and get them involved.
It’s a kind of change that has a ripple effect – even if they are not super ecstatic about it in the beginning, they will soon get to feel how organized home makes them happy. Happy and excited about all the other things that you now finally have time for.
Go ahead and download this guide to help you start. You got this! And I got you.
If you like this blog post, I’d love it if you can share it with a friend. Also, please let me know if you struggle with any of these issues as well. I’d love to connect and share our tips and tricks. We are in this together, but we can learn how to turn organizing into a self-care moment. I promise!
Much love,
Alex
