The Benefits of Organization

Do you consider yourself an organized person?

How many hats do you think you wear? Sometimes I feel like I have upwards of 14,000 hats, all stacked high in leaning towers, waiting impatiently to be worn. Can you relate?

I start my day like most everyone else- listing my must-dos on the dry-erase board inside my head. Once I mull through, stress over and prioritize my list, it’s deemed worthy of a notepad. And my day goes into full swing.

Essentially, I’m prioritizing my hats.

I’ve read enough self-help books to know better than to start my day without a list. It’s the universal golden rule of anyone who’s ever accomplished anything (including writing a self-help book).

We’re hearing more and more about the benefits of organization: not only of our days, but of our surroundings as well. Just the other day the Today Show featured a woman who shared how she lost 50 lbs. when she made the life-changing decision to organize her home.

I don’t know about you, but I love, love, love organization and it is my love language to myself. If I want to be really happy when I wake up in the mornings I make sure I wake up to a clean house. That sets the tone for my whole day and then (remember that list?) my list can be completed without playing catch-up from the day before.

By the way, if you haven’t read The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman? You should! It’s a great read and it will help you understand yourself like never before and help you understand all your loved ones (and those you don’t love all that much, lol). The book was such an eye opener for me that I actually used it’s ideas to select curriculum for my children when I homeschooled them in elementary school.

Now back to those hats and that list.

We all feel like we wear more hats than we can handle. Maybe life seems to be passing you by or the overwhelming stress of daily life is draining your joy. Do you believe that organization can be an answer to your crazy life? Let me share with you some reasons why it is.

Studies have shown that waking up to and living with clutter triggers the stress responses in your brain.

Imagine all of the arguments you have with people over clutter, lost items, chores pilling up and forgotten appointments. They can be avoided.

Organization reduces your financial stress because late fees add up quickly when you lose a bill and forget to pay it.

With clutter comes inevitable dirt and dust bunnies. Studies have shown that dust can contain many more harmful things than we’ve ever realized. A cleaner home means a healthier you.

How would you like to eliminate 40% of your housework? It can be done! Removing clutter, according to the National Soap and Detergent Association (who knew they existed?), can nearly cut your cleaning time in half. Now that’s a life changer!

Getting all of those hats, that list of to-dos and your home in order will change your life.

#smallsteps my friend.