photo by Purple Sherbet Photography
I could write a whole post about beauty and happiness. But if you really want to boost your daily happiness, creating order is even more powerful. For years when I opened a closet at my house I felt a sudden urge to close my eyes. Usually I grabbed whatever I need as quickly as possible and then shut the door on the chaos in front of me. The cluttered places in my home were like a slow leak in my happiness tank.
As Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project, says, “It’s a secret of adulthood: For most people, outer order contributes to inner calm.”
I can’t think clearly, write, or relax when my house is a wreck. And clutter is the biggest culprit. But for years I did nothing about it. It just felt too overwhelming. Then finally last year around Christmas I tore through my house like a cyclone. I asked myself the classic cleaning questions…
– Is it useful?
– Is it beautiful?
– Do I love it?
Items that got a “no” either found their way to the recycle bin, trash can, or Goodwill {I like this organization because they help people get jobs}.
My decluttering process took days. And I thought I would die. But it’s one of the best things I ever did.
Here’s why it helped me: I’m a girl who’s prone to anxiety. And every time I opened a cluttered closet, couldn’t find a lost item, or noticed a dust bunny big enough to eat me it triggered a stress response in my body. And what started as a simple dilemma like not being able to find the keys turned my morning from one of calm into a cascade of chaos. I want to reserve as much of my energy and emotion for loving others and fulfilling my purpose as possible. And that means I can’t waste those things on clutter or finding the keys. Amen.
After the whirlwind of creating order, I now walk through my house and spend a few minutes picking up each day. I also hired a house cleaner–which took some serious swallowing of my pride. But when I look around my house now, I see order. And I feel calmer and happier.
We’re all wired differently and what makes me feel calm in my home is probably entirely different from you. I learned we all have different organizational styles. My husband is a visual organizer, which means he wants to see all of his stuff while I want it all neatly put away where I can’t see it {this has taken some negotiating. ha!}. What matters is simply that you have some kind of order that makes you feel peaceful and happy. “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” {1 Cor. 14:33}.
If you’re not sure where to start, just spend five minutes decluttering today. Yep, just five minutes.
You can also get some helpful resources like the book Organized Simplicity.
If you’re thinking “I should do this but I don’t want to” then you’re missing the point. This is about what makes you happier. And if you’re good with the way your house is, then ignore what everyone else thinks. Seriously. Do what works for you and your family.
Maybe someday you can come over to my house. Wouldn’t that be fun? I’ll even show you my closets.
XOXO
