Why get organized? Why invest the time, energy and money into home organization? Here are the reasons I hear the most from clients, plus some of my own observations.
So you can find things.
The more stuff you have, the more hiding places you have in which to lose things. So it stands to reason that if you own less stuff and organize what you have, that lost notebook or mate to a shoe will suddenly appear.
So you can improve your mood.
Studies have found that living in a cluttered environment negatively affects our mood and elevates our levels of stress hormones. It’s depressing to look at all of our clutter!
So you can have visitors over.
I hear this one a lot from clients. They want friends to be able to drop by at a moment’s notice without feeling a sense of panic about what they might see in your home. Some of my clients haven’t had family come visit them in years due to the client’s shame about their clutter. It’s not good to spend all of your time in isolation, so let’s you get organized so you feel comfortable having guests visit.
So you can end strife with your spouse or children about clutter.
This one of the most common reasons clients reach out to me: They are tired of having their spouse nag at them about their clutter. And the clutter can be a big source of squabbles about whose stuff is sitting around, who is shopping too much, who lost the TV remote, who never cleans up after themselves. Just getting started on an organizing project — making a good faith effort — can improve your relationship with family at home.
So you can move safely around your house — and escape in a fire if necessary.
It’s dangerous to get up in the middle of the night and trip over a handbag or pair of shoes left on the floor. In some cases, clutter can turn into hoarding, and the home can be too packed with stuff to escape from easily in an emergency. Too much clutter also poses a safety risk to first responders, who have to navigate through all of your stuff to reach you.
So you can feel more peaceful in your home and relax.
Many people report that they can’t relax in a cluttered house. It’s especially hard to relax when piles of unopened dishes, un-put-away Christmas presents, and unwashed dishes are staring you in the face. Your home should be your refuge from the world, so let’s put some organizing systems into place in order to make it that refuge you deserve.
So you have space to engage in hobbies, games or activities.
If all of your flat surfaces are filled up with stuff, then there’s no room to work on your woodworking project or cut out fabric for a new set of curtains. If the floor space is ankle-deep with toys, then there’s no room for the kids to play. Let’s clear some space so you have room to do the things you love best!
So you can be aware of what you own and stop over-buying.
If you have a closet crammed with clothes, you might find it hard to remember every clothing item you own, making you more likely to unwittingly buy something nearly identical to what you already own. Oftentimes when I work with clients, they say, “I forgot I had this!” as we go through their closet or garage. Living with less means it’s easier to see what you own, so you don’t inadvertently buy it again at the store.
So you can live in a beautiful home.
Most people want to eat, sleep and live in a beautiful environment. Just one look at all of the home magazines in the grocery store check-out aisle makes that obvious. So let’s make a beautiful home for you by clearing out the clutter. Everybody deserves to live in a lovely home. Ready to get started?
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