Clutter cleaning has become a regular occurrence in my house. So much, in fact, that Rick has learned to ask our seven-year-old where things are because they change from day to day. I bet if you were to ask Rick what my flaws are, he'd say my compulsion to reorganize the house, my love of ear pulling and my slight obsession with anything Hollywood...this last one being what he considers a most deplorable hobby.
The thing is I've been a clutter cleaning, reorganization queen-freak since I was a kid. I mean, eat your heart out Clean Sweep, I invented the art of throwing it out and labeling it up. And, I don't need fancy bins or thousands of dollars in new decor. Just give me a trash bag, a donation truck and all the shit I don't need and definitely don't use, and I'll show you how it's done...old school style.
My family, however, thinks I am a complete and undeniable nuthead. Seriously, I have put up with so many cracks over the years about my need to keep order in my house that even my sons like to double check my cleaning barometer prior to leaving for a long school day. "You're not going to throw anything out today, are you?" Kids, kids, kids...I'm not that bad. (You just better use it, or the donation truck will reuse it.)
In defense of myself, we are a family of five in a three-bedroom townhouse with zero storage. So, really, I am obligated to keep the house clutter free in order to maintain my sanity. Can you imagine how much crap builds up with three kids and a grammy who can't stop herself from buying them random stuff every time she sees them? It's madness, I tell you, MADness!!! So, clearly, I was stoked to read studies proving people with a clutter-free house are happier, healthier and even....thinner than those people who are weighed down with too much stuff. Freak, did you say? A happy, healthy one, I say.
The National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization says there is a link between clutter and increased stress. The more stuff you hold onto, the more weight you are carrying on your shoulders. By letting go of stuff you don't need, you are taking control of your life and relieving your stress. I can tell you, I instantly feel more relaxed after making a Purple Heart donation or reorganizing a messy cabinet. It's as if with each cabinet I reorganize, I am organizing my head and allowing my brain to better deal with each problem that arises throughout the day.
There is also a proven link between organization and weight loss. People who maintained a clutter-free, organized home were less likely to overeat. It's simply logic, really. Clutter creates disorganization which creates stress. Stress is the number one cause of overeating. If you eliminate stress, then you will be less likely to gorge on an entire bag of Oreos at midnight. Less Oreos, less pounds on your butt cheeks, more self esteem stored in your closet of goodness.
And, here's the icing on the proverbial clutter cake...when you declutter and reorganize, you are actually increasing your energy and putting yourself in a better mood. It's proven to work!
Last week, I overhauled my mother's kitchen. Seven boxes and bags later, and her kitchen has been clutter cleaned. Believe me, she was quite resistant at first even though I've been doing this to her for years...as a kid, I used to regularly clean out her purses and reorganize her closets while she was at work. Just. For. Fun. (Yes, just a mere glimpse into what Rick lovingly refers to as my loserville childhood.) However, Mom called me the other day and told me she felt like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was as if we threw out some of her stress with those seven bags. And, she wants more of that feeling of lightness, which means only one thing...on to the next room!So, enough preaching about clutter. Here are a few tips on how to clutter clean your life:
1. Make a list of all the rooms in your house. Now, under each room, make a list of all the areas in that room you need to declutter and reorganize.
2. Pick one room and work on it until it's completely clutter cleaned and reorganized.
3. All you need is a donation box, garage sale or Craigslist box and a trash bag. Everything in that room will either be donated, sold, trashed or reorganized back into the room.
4. Remember your goal is to reduce your clutter. Don't hold onto crap you don't use or don't really need and that includes furniture and decorations. My mom is infamous for reorganizing by putting all her stuff into nice little bins but never actually getting rid of anything. That's not clutter cleaning.
5. Did you know knick-knacks and decor items are the number one clutter causers? I choose my decorations carefully. I like usable or personal items such as photos I've taken or potted plants. All that other stuff is just a waste of my money and doesn't provide me with anything except more dust.
6. If you decide to store something away under a bed or in a closet, ask yourself first why you're keeping it if you are not using it often enough to keep it accessible. If you don't have a good answer, it's time to toss it.
7. I always keep a donation box handy in my basement closet. That way, I have a place to put things that no longer have a place in our house. Sometimes items just no longer fit into your life or your home. Everything has a life span, and it's your job to get rid of festering items when their time is up.
Look, organization is a multimillion dollar industry nowadays. Everyone has too much stuff, and everywhere you go there's some fancy box or bin to store it all in. The truth is we need to downsize how much stuff we actually have and then organize the remaining items into some sort of functional system. So, if you decide to clutter clean your life today, then remember it's less about organizing your life into bins and more about reducing the amount of crap in your life and ultimately, the weight on your shoulders.
I say give it a try. You may find clutter cleaning the thrifty and semi-painless prescription you've been seeking for a healthier, happier life.
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