New Year, Clutter-Free Cheer

The state of your living space can have a profound impact on your sense of wellBEEing. The research—and our clients—tells us that living in an organized space has a far-reaching impact on every aspect of our happiness.

We all know that healthy relationships are fundamental to happiness, but many of us ignore the fact that chaos and clutter in our homes can actually harm our social connections. Taking care of clutter can help you reduce conflict and tension with the people you share your living space with.

In addition, extending hospitality to friends and family can be a lovely way to keep those relationships strong—but only if you feel confident and comfortable inviting people into your space. Having a well-organized home makes you more likely to host both planned and spontaneous events and activities, helping you care for those precious relationships both inside and outside of your Hive.

Second—and we know you already know this one—organizing your space boosts your mood. The amount of clutter in a living space is directly related to one’s overall feeling of well-being. Catherine Roster, a researcher at the University of New Mexico, explained, ”When there’s lots of clutter, you lose control over your physical environment, which is very defeating and can bring on stress, depression, or anxiety.” She found that organizing one’s environment directly increased their feelings of well-being and happiness. Leave the anxiety and stress behind and bring on the relaxation and peace!

Finally, having an organized living space can give you a confidence boost, as well as everyone else who lives in the home! Researchers at UCLA found a strong connection between the amount of clutter in a home and the family members’ sense of self-esteem. That’s right—the simple act of keeping your home organized can help every single person in the home feel more confident as they go out into the world each day.

You deserve to live your happiest life filled with the confidence to grow relationships, reduce your stress, and enjoy the home you’ve created for yourself. If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to BEEgin!

Time is undoubtedly your most precious resource. Simplifying Your Hive can give you back some of your time, allowing you to focus on the people and activities that bring joy and meaning to your life.

A well-organized space can save you immeasurable time and money. How many minutes per day do you spend searching for your car keys, replacement batteries, your kid’s sports uniform, or some other item you know you have somewhere? Those minutes add up fast!

In fact, Americans report that they spend an average of 2.5 days per year looking for items they have lost. And those missing items can cost you money in addition to time—talk about adding insult to injury! Too often, we not only lose the time we spend looking for misplaced items, but we also carry the additional burden of running to the store or hopping on to Amazon to replace that item … which just leads to more clutter and wasteful spending.

Having an organized living space also reduces the amount of time you need to spend cleaning each week. Picture the entry into your home—it’s much quicker to sweep or mop the area when you don’t have to first sort and move the piles of shoes and bags and mystery items. Cleaning an organized space simply takes less time than cleaning a space filled with clutter.

Finally, several studies have shown that when your work space is free of clutter, you are able to process information much faster and therefore are able to get your work done more efficiently. According to an article in the Stanford University health newsletter, research shows that you will be less irritable and distracted, more productive, and better able to process information with an uncluttered and organized home and office. Organized space = time saved!

So how will you spend that newly found time in ways that will help you live your best life? Will you finally dig into that book you’ve been meaning to read? Meal prep healthy lunches? Volunteer at the animal shelter? Play more board games with your honey? Have an impromptu party?

Did you know that BEEcoming more organized can have a positive effect on your physical health? Numerous studies have demonstrated the critical link between having an organized living space and increasing your physical well-being.

First, having an organized living space can help reduce several common household dangers. When you clear out the clutter from your living space, the breeding ground for the mold and dust that worsen asthma and allergies is also cleared away.

In addition, when all of those items that take up space on the floor have their own place to live, you dramatically reduce the potential for trips and falls in your home. Even the National Fire Protection Association is anti-clutter! Not only can disorganization accidentally lead to the placement of flammable items too close to heat sources, but it can also block emergency exits such as egress windows.

Second, clutter is stressful! Researchers at DePaul University in Chicago found that excess clutter can raise the level of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. Other researchers have noted that extra clutter can increase one’s heart rate and blood pressure. The Mayo Clinic suggests that decluttering your space will go a long way toward decluttering your mind, and therefore reducing stress and fatigue.

Finally, we all know that sleep is fundamental to living an active and fulfilling life, but several research studies have shown that nighttime sleep is shorter and less restful when the sleeping space is cluttered. Dr. Pamela Thacher, a psychologist at St. Lawrence University, found in her study that people who slept in cluttered bedrooms were more likely to experience a sleep disorder. Taming the chaos in your bedroom can go a long way toward improving your health through restful sleep.

Having a clutter-free home is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for living your healthiest life. Your organized home can reduce stress, improve sleep, and protect you from common household hazards.

After years of working with thousands of clients, we’ve seen firsthand the effects of clutter and the transformation that our clients experience once their home is in order. If you need a helping hand to get started, reach out to the Bee Organized location nearest you—our Bees are ready to give you the compassionate, confidential, and judgment-free assistance you deserve!