A tidy home feels welcoming, looks refined and is a pleasant place to live. By now, most people have heard of the advantages of decluttering, but this practice’s ability to encourage a healthier state of mind deserves more praise and attention.
This guide covers the psychology of house cleaning and keeping an orderly environment, the link between home organization and mental health and what you can do to maximize the peace and enjoyment you get from your surroundings.
Why Is it Important to Be Organized and Decluttered?
Life becomes simpler, calmer and more efficient when everything is in its place. Here are a few benefits of keeping an orderly home.
- Quick access to essential tools: A shipshape living space means you can immediately find items, which is critical in time-sensitive situations.
- Reduced duplicate purchases and lost items: You’re less likely to lose track of your belongings and buy unnecessary replacements when you know where everything is.
- Free space for activities and decor: Uncluttered countertops, shelves, floors and nightstands are perfect spots for decorations and incidental items like books, beverages and games.
- Cleaning becomes easier: Tidy homes are easier to dust, vacuum, mop and sanitize. You can freely access hard-to-reach places without miscellaneous items getting in the way.
- Mental and emotional stability: Being organized can improve your mental health by putting you in control and helping you stay calm.
What Are the Psychological Benefits of Getting Organized?
Being methodical can improve mental health in several unique ways that work together to improve your quality of life. Tidy surroundings reduce unwanted psychological discomfort while encouraging positive attitudes and behaviors.
Reduced Stress and Agitation
Solving problems can be immensely stressful when you can’t immediately put your finger on what you need. In the chaos of clutter, you may turn your house upside-down looking for cough medicine for a sick child, searching for your keys or trying to find that dress you borrowed from your friend. These examples illustrate how organizing and mental health go hand in hand.
Studies have shown messy homes can worsen the symptoms of mental health challenges like depression, isolation and executive dysfunction. Fortunately, the same research paper found regular decluttering can significantly improve mental well-being and comfort at home. Tidying up is a learned skill, so even the least organized people can find relaxation and control with tips and regular practice.
Increased Productivity and Mental Clarity
A decluttered, tidy workspace helps boost your in-office and work-from-home productivity. In a survey by Kelton Research, 53% of workers said disorganized workspaces adversely affected their motivation. Cluttered home office setups can also be distracting, leading to reduced efficiency and focus.
Keep pens, notepads, tech paraphernalia and other work gear in drawers, shelves or racks around your desk. The desktop should stay as clear as possible. Then, you’ll always know where that crucial file is and have space to decorate with a plant or family photo.
Improved Sleep Quality
Good sleep is pivotal for a healthy body and mind, and an organized environment can improve sleep quality. A study in the International Journal of Aging and Human Development found a significant link between higher clutter levels and sleep disturbances, particularly in people with hoarding tendencies. Bedrooms with belongings strewn around and taking up space on the bed can physically disrupt sleep.
At the same time, the psychological stress of a disorganized environment can make falling and staying asleep more challenging. Whether the cause is physical or psychological, clutter’s negative impact on sleep quality can further sabotage your mental health by disrupting problem-solving, decision-making, risk assessment, emotional control and the ability to cope with stress.
Better Self-Esteem and Confidence
Research suggests you’re at an elevated risk of feeling shame and guilt when your home is in disarray. These two emotions can compromise healthy self-esteem and diminish your confidence. You may feel embarrassed to invite guests over amid the mess, or avoid switching on your camera during work meetings for fear colleagues will spot the disorder. You’re not alone in feeling this way.
Cleaning and organizing your home can restore a feeling of control and self-efficacy lost during the gradual clutter buildup. After tidying, you’ll have more room to add decorative elements and even rearrange your furniture setup. Interior decorating lets you add a personal touch to your home’s aesthetic and feel proud of your accomplishments and the beautiful, self-reflective space you’ve created.
Good Learning Outcomes in Children
Decluttering and organizing are especially critical in households raising children, as messy homes can affect more than emotional well-being. Some studies suggest children who live in highly cluttered homes struggle more with cognitive tasks like reading and show behavioral challenges.
A groundbreaking research paper from the Annals of Clinical Psychiatry explains that children raised in highly cluttered homes struggle more with parental relationships, emotional security and psychological well-being. Keeping a house tidy and orderly also teaches kids essential life skills like responsibility, perseverance and time management.
Reinforced Physical Health
Research on undergraduate eating habits shows cluttered kitchens tend to encourage less healthy dietary choices. Cooking is easier and more enjoyable in tidy environments, and there’s more space available for ingredient storage. Better nutrition improves mental health, and avoiding illness from nutrient deficiencies also helps regulate mood and energy levels.
How Do You Start Decluttering?
Once people learn about the psychology of house cleaning and decluttering, most feel an initial surge of motivation to tidy their homes and reap the benefits. However, it’s easy to become overwhelmed after considering how much work you need to do. If you’re feeling enthusiastic yet intimidated, use these handy tidying tips to organize your home and beat procrastination.
Create am Action Plan
Write down a strategy for organizing your space. Prioritize which areas need the most attention, where you’ll need to install extra storage solutions, who is responsible for which tasks, what your timeline will be and what your ultimate decluttering intentions are. Use this map as an anchor that keeps you focused on the bigger picture while illustrating every smaller step you need to achieve it.
Break the Work Into Smaller, Achievable Goals
When decluttering your home, take it one step at a time. By separating your to-do list into sections and celebrating incremental wins, you can overcome analysis paralysis and mitigate boredom with frequent breaks. Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound goals to guide you through the organization process.
Here are some examples of SMART goals for house decluttering.
- I will sort through and rearrange the cleaning supplies cupboard by midday today, throwing away empty containers and expired products.
- By Wednesday, I will fill this box with books I no longer want to keep.
- I will dedicate 15 minutes every day this week to picking up miscellaneous items on the floor and storing them in their designated spots.
Donate, Sell or Repurpose Unused Items
Homes have finite space, and not all possessions are evergreen, so take stock of your belongings and get rid of any you no longer want or need. Some items you may consider donating or selling include books you’ve read, clothes that no longer fit, toys your children have outgrown, appliances you’ve recently replaced and unused kitchen items.
Many people collect useful odds and ends, such as empty containers they plan to repurpose. Don’t let these treasures sit around the garage gathering dust — put them to work! You can store dry food ingredients, beads, buttons and many other loose items in them and stack them neatly in cabinets or on shelves. This upcycling technique keeps usable objects out of landfills, saves you money on containers and clears out storage space for other uses.
Remind Yourself of the Benefits of a Clean Environment
If you feel your motivation slipping or notice yourself procrastinating on more significant tasks, take a breather and step back. Give yourself credit for all your accomplishments, noting how those small changes have improved your life. You could even jot down your reasons for decluttering and organizing your space and reread the list when you need extra momentum.
Invest in Permanent Organization Solutions
Instead of piling craft supplies on tables or stacking spices on kitchen counters, brainstorm permanent storage options that optimize your use of wall space. Try these excellent choices for space-saving, aesthetically pleasing storage.
- Recessed wall cabinets: These understated wall-embedded cupboards blend beautifully with the wall’s surface and can hold medicine, toiletries, jewelry or craft supplies.
- Recessed niche shelves: Recessed shelves save vital space, can look stunningly modern, are easily accessible and can house essential items or display decorations in bedrooms, hallways or other living areas.
- Recessed toilet paper holders: Preserve critical storage space by installing a recessed toilet roll holder inside your wall. It looks elegant, keeps objects off the floor and makes small bathrooms easier to maneuver around.
- Kitchen spice racks: Whether you prefer wall-mounted, door-mounted or recessed shelving, a quality spice rack is essential for maintaining a neat, well-organized, visually appealing kitchen.
Involve the Whole Household
Get all residents excited about organizing the living space so you can delegate tasks. If you have kids, assigning them to organize their toy and clothing storage is an excellent learning experience and also ensures they know where all their treasured items are. Housemates can divide chores into sections based on who uses which area most frequently. Place a checklist in a common area that everyone can use to plan, reach and celebrate goals together.
How Can You Maintain Home Organization and Mental Health?
Once you’ve found a place for all your items and sorted them into logical, easy-to-access categories, your mission shifts into maintenance and incremental improvement. Keeping your home organized is a lifelong endeavor that you can grow to enjoy or even love. With a few simple, repeated habits, your house or apartment can stay tidy, cozy and endlessly efficient.
Regularly Clean and Declutter
Create a cleaning schedule for your home and stick to it so tasks don’t build up to mammoth jobs after a few months.
Develop Organizational Habits
Though some people master organizational habits early on, everyone’s experience differs. Share small tidiness hacks so the whole household can put their heads together and collaboratively keep the living space orderly. These tiny actions combine to save you hours of work in the future and eventually become second nature with enough repetition.
Train yourself to return items to their designated homes once you’ve finished using them. When you come home from running errands, take the extra few seconds to put your shoes in your closet instead of leaving them in the entryway. Clean as you go when cooking meals. Pack away clean laundry immediately after it’s dry.
Use Your Space Efficiently
Whether you’ve got a sprawling suburban home or a cozy studio apartment, there is an ideal way to use your space. If your rooms and hallways are narrow, use recessed cabinets and shelves to conserve as much moving space as possible. If you have ample space, consider installing on-the-wall cabinets to keep similar items together, covered and out of the way.
Adapt Your Storage Solutions as You Go
Your home is an ever-evolving extension of your household, so it should change alongside your needs and preferences. For example, if your secondary suite becomes a bed and breakfast, you could add some recessed toilet roll and magazine holders for a luxurious, courteous touch. If you’re transforming a guest bedroom into a nursery, add some baby-proof storage cabinetry for diapers, clothes, toys, shoes and decor.
Optimize Your Living Space Organization With WG Wood Products
At WG Wood Products in sunny Sarasota, we’re all about optimizing storage space and perfecting beautiful, functional wood cabinetry and shelving. Our wide range of recessed and on-the-wall options is perfect for those looking to declutter and organize their homes in style. For more information, contact us online today or request a quote using our quick and easy digital form.
