Keeping a clean and orderly home can be a lot of hard work, and that’s exacerbated by the fact that keeping things in their proper place becomes even more difficult the more you neglect it. Clutter can build up quickly, and it can be easy to not prioritize your living space in terms of things that need getting done. But keeping an orderly home can have some real and substantive benefits. Here are five of the best reasons to keep your residence in order.
1. Maintaining a Cleaner and Healthier Living Space
A cluttered space isn’t necessarily a dirty place, but it certainly doesn’t help. A lack of order in your home makes it easier for dust and dirt to build up, and that’s something that can have a significant effect on your health. A clean environment can aggravate your allergies or asthma and even facilitate the spread of germs and bacteria. You can also consider making some simple upgrades in your home that will elevate your space. For instance, if you are in the southern California area, consider upgrading your water heater by hiring a water heater company in Newhall. Keeping your space orderly makes cleaning your home easier, and a cleaner home is a safer home for your physical well-being.
2. Encouraging Healthier Living Habits
If you’re looking to live a more balanced life, organizing your home can be a surprisingly good starting point. That’s because it can have a positive ripple effect on your other habits. A study by Psychological Science indicates that those who operate in neat spaces are more inclined to pick healthier snack options. They credit that to the fact that clutter creates anxiety, and compulsive eating is often a response to stress triggers. Ordering your home can even help you with your workout routine. That’s because the process of organizing essentially conditions your brain to act in a more structured manner and encourages the internal reward mechanisms that come from setting and achieving established goals.
3. Maximizing Your Productivity
There’s a scientific basis behind the notion that clutter decreases productivity. While you might not pay conscious attention to the stray and messy items in your work space, you can be assured that your mind does. Clutter can provide a meaningful distraction even if it’s not front and center in your cognitive process, and these distractions can diminish your ability to focus on the task at hand. Then there’s the fact that people who live in orderly homes can spend less time rooting around for the things they need. This goes for people who work from home, but it’s equally as important for improving your productivity for hobbies and other activities you love.
4. Relieving Stress
Our minds are more subconsciously aware of the spaces that we live in than we may think, and the subconscious impact of a cluttered space on your mood and behavior can be immense. It’s one of the core tenets behind the traditional art of Feng Shui, but it can be understood in less couched terms. Clutter is a reminder of the things we have yet to accomplish. There’s scientific indications that disorganized spaces can have a significant impact on our mental health. A study showed that women living in unfinished or disorganized homes demonstrated higher incidences of fatigue and depression than their more organized peers. They also displayed higher levels of cortisol, a hormone that directly related to stress and anxiety. This is especially important for couples living together, as the stress that comes from clutter can quickly get in the way of happy and healthy relationships or discourage inviting friends and family over.
5. Saving You Money
Having to hunt around for the important paperwork and items in your life can be a waste of your time, but it can also be a drain on your bank account. Keeping your bills and mail neatly organized keeps them in the front of your mind and avoids you falling behind and having to deal with late payments. And knowing where everything is will prevent you from accidentally spending money on things you already own.
There are plenty of reasons to clean up your space, and the time it takes to put everything in its proper place can pay dividends in the future. Take the time to plan your organizational effort by investing in the right organizational tools and ask “Where can I find storage units near me?” before you start. Once you have a blueprint in mind, you’ll find that organizing your space is easier than you might have thought.