Getting Organized Can Improve Your Mental Health

Picture this: it's a new day, rays of sunshine are beaming through your squeaky clean open windows. There's a crisp fresh breeze blowing in, rolling across your streak-free, clear kitchen counters and appliances. All the cabinets are stocked with fresh groceries that are perfectly organized. Feels good, doesn't it? Well, it's science. The National Geographic recently published an article exploring the link between organization and mental health. While cleaning up can be far from the top of our list of things to do, especially when we're overwhelmed, there's a reason it feels so good to be in an organized space.

To sum it up: as above, so below; as within, so without. Our outer world is often a reflection of how we feel on the inside.

Here is a not-nearly-exhaustive sampling of things clutter can contribute to: degraded memory, unhealthy eating habits, mood swings, anxiety, increase in cortisol levels, inability to focus, relationship strain.

The good news is, some good old fashion organizing can have the inverse effect. Want to eat better? Feel more stable and less stressed? Improve your relationships, memory and productivity? Get organized!

Here are some tips:

Out of sight is not out of mind: even if it stays behind closed doors, that cluttered closet or cabinet is still causing you mental strain. Healthy organization is holistic so don't try to hide disorder.

Start small: pick a drawer that's overstuffed and always jams, your desk, or your front entryway.

Let go: say goodbye to things you never use or move the out-of-season items to a storage area if you can. Trust the process, you will feel better.

Seek joy: the spaces you interact with on a daily basis are impacting your conscious and subconscious mind. You should approach your home with the strategy of 'how can I make this [desk, drawer, room] serve me better and inspire me?'

Read the full National Geographic article here.