It is really interesting. When I first entered the organising world, the world put us in the cleaning category, the home improvement category and even the hobby category. Never though, in the wellness, self-care and health category.
Things are starting to change though and as decluttering and organising homes as a concept becomes more well known, so do the benefits.
The clarity
The freedom
The motivation
The calm
The confidence
These are all words you would associate with a wellness journey of some kind.
As I grow my network of other fabulous business owners, the people I have often collaborated with or understand what I do and the impact it can have the most, are those in the wellness industry.
Therapists
Life Coaches
Fitness & Nutritional Coaches
ADHD and Autism advocates
And more…
I have always shouted about the unseen benefits of decluttering and organising your home over the incredible before and after picture. The true nature of helping a family rather than having a pretty room to look at.
So, what ways can decluttering and organising be self-care? I have listed a few examples below for you.
Reduce Stress
Research has shown that those that live in a cluttered home have higher levels of cortisol in their body (the stress hormone) compared to those that live clutter free.
It makes sense though, right? If you are looking are surrounded by piles of things with no home, things you haven’t used in years, broken, don’t fit or you don’t even like, that is never going to make you feel great. Paired with the never ending to do list looking at that pile gives you and the fact that you can never find anything and probably running late, you can imagine why someone would feel more stressed than they would if clutter was not an issue.
We know that stress can affect your sleep, physical and mental health if left unchecked.
Of course, I am not saying decluttering your home will remove all stress and anxiety completely but if you would like to help yourself along the way, decluttering your space is an effective step.
More time for self-care
I get it, decluttering and organising may not seem like your idea of fun and something you would look forward to. I do but then that is why I do what I do for a living.
Instead, we need to think long term.
On average we lose 2.5 days a year looking for lost items. I dread to think how much time we then lost tidying up too.
When your home doesn’t feel like a never-ending to-do list, another project you haven’t done and frankly everything has a home you feel like you can commit more time to you instead of your home.
Your home should be working for you and giving you time to spend doing the things you love, instead of distracting you from it.
Get your home under control and I promise you, the time it free’s up is honestly shocking.
Less distraction/ excuses
For many of us, self-care comes at the bottom of the list over everyone and everything else that needs to happen.
So, when we can’t find our face masks, or our workout gear or the craft stuff is buried under a pile or you can see that pile of paperwork really does need filing away as it is out of control, it is so easy to put it off and in turn scrub yourself off the list completely.
If everything is clear, has a home and is maintained, it means you have less excuse to not focus on you. The rest of the family can often become more independent if organised with them in mind and you can reach the things you love and you consider self-care with ease.
The key to success with almost anything is to remove the ability to formulate excuses or barriers to start. Do this in your home and I can guarantee you will have more time and more drive to take some time out for you.
Habits and control
If you struggle without routines, habits and autonomy or perhaps your ability to focus for long periods of time, decluttering and organising in the right way can help you work day to day in a way that is right for you instead of how you are told you should be doing something.
Everyone works differently, everyone struggles in different ways, and everyone finds different tasks overwhelming.
By creating homes for everything within a space, clear surfaces* and a calm environment, it can allow your mind to unwind a little but more than this builds those habits and routines to switch off a little and feel in control of a life that loves to throw little surprises our way.
This can feel incredibly calming to come home to after a day in the busy, noisy world.
‘* I will caveat this though and things on display on hooks, peg boards etc may be more appropriate for some but clear in the sense that it is not clutter and has a home.
Inspiration and confidence
Tackling an area in your home that has been bugging you can be addictive. Why? Because it gives you a before and after, something to compare it to and the motivation boost that you need.
If you can tackle your sock drawer or perhaps bin all that out-of-date paperwork then you start to grow the confidence to tackle the bigger projects, the bigger tasks on your to-do list.
By picking a project where you can stick on your favourite playlist, podcast or e-book and zone out and just go through everything bit by bit, it is amazing how soothing it can be (not to everyone straight away but pick a simple enough starting point and everyone can get there)
The reward for your hard work is immediate making you feel great and if you can feel the benefits of decluttering and organising that space, you will probably start thinking… well if this has made my life better in a small way, imagine what some of the other bigger projects can do.
So, what do you think? Whether it is directly or indirectly – would you consider decluttering and organising a form of self-care? Or at the very least good for our wellness journey?
The Organised Co. 