By Julie Regina of Tidy Into Joy (tidyintojoy.com)
If you’re reading this, you already know that managing and maintaining a household is no small task. With spouses, kids, and/or pets in the picture, the home is a place where we seek to find ways to live together in harmony. Depending on the total number of people in the house changes the amount of stuff we need to manage and store.
Why decluttering and organizing are important
As a professional home organizer, the majority of my clients are moms. What I see over and over is that moms are stressed out by a messy house and overwhelmed by the amount of stuff they have to manage. This is exactly why decluttering and organizing are an important part of maintaining a happy, less stressful home and family life. We are bombarded with messages that buying more will make things easier or bring us happiness, but in reality this couldn’t be further from the truth.
More things does not equate to more happiness, success, or peace
Multiple studies have shown that having more things does not equate to more happiness, success, or peace. This isn’t to say we all need to be living as minimalists, but it does mean that in order to address the underlying stressors at home, we need to address the relationship we have with our stuff. The truth is, not decluttering is more consuming of time and money than taking the time to declutter.
I am not saying that decluttering and organizing is a cure-all for modern motherhood stressors, because motherhood is so much more than just managing a home. However, decluttering can create a massive foundational shift in restoring mental and emotional balance for moms, and also everyone else in the home.
Here are a few examples of what I mean:
- It makes everything accessible. You no longer have to search for things around the house because you know exactly where everything is. Need a pair of scissors? Got it. Nail polish remover? Done. A phone charger? In the top drawer of the desk with the rest of the cords.
- It saves you time. Picking up the house can be done in minutes instead of hours. When you’ve decluttered to the point where you only have what you need and love, it’s easier for every single item to have its own designated spot. When everything has a place, it makes picking up the house at the end of the day a breeze.
- An increased sense of calm. Once you’ve let go of all the things that were taking up unnecessary space, you can be at ease in your home and enjoy the moments together with your family rather than stressing over the mess.
Making shifts like these are incredibly impactful in your home life and equates to more ease for you as a mom, and an easier time keeping the family accountable for their own things.
Decluttering is a skill that can be learned and taught
If the idea of decluttering feels like another to-do, or you feel like it’s just not in your wheelhouse, there are some common reasons why. One of the biggest reasons is the mistaken view that everyone should just “know” how to do it, and this just isn’t true. Decluttering is a skill, which means that it can be learned and taught.
There are plenty of resources out there to give you some ideas on how to start, and there are also people you can hire (like me!), who are experts in not only helping you get it done, but also to coach you on how to maintain order going forward.
I like to tell my clients that hiring a professional organizer is like hiring a physical trainer for the home. Not only will you finally clear the messes you deal with every day, but you’ll be developing a new mental muscle that will serve you for the long-term.
Once you see and feel the magic of getting rid of stuff that doesn’t serve you, you’ll never want to go back to the way things were.
