Simplify Your Life Week
It’s time to take control over the clutter in our lives and there is no better time to do it than the week of Aug. 1 which starts National Simplify Your Life Week.
Has your closet become a blackhole for belongings? Is the garage giving you nightmares? Does the dumping ground at your front doorway make you want to run away?
National Simplify Your Life Week is the perfect kickstart to get every corner of your home organized and, believe it or not, make you healthier in the process!
The clutter busting experts at Closets by Design have been busier than ever helping local homeowners in need of organizational overhauls in their homes. They’re ready to share easy ideas on how to shed that extra stuff.
Consider this. Decluttering can improve your health in the following ways:
Alleviates anxiety and depression — Research reveals clutter produces high levels of the stress hormone cortisol, and in turn causes anxiety and depression.
Contributes to better sleep — The clutter in your home, especially in the bedroom, can interrupt your sleeping patterns because it can fill your mind with uneasy thoughts. Research finds that cluttered bedrooms result in poor sleep due to depression and stress.
Burns calories — Decluttering entails a lot of moving around, as you dispose of items, pack boxes, and carry things from place to place. While it can be a tiring activity, the good news is that you have transformed cleaning into a form of exercise without even knowing it.
Closets are one of the areas in the home that can quickly get out of hand. Here are Closet by Design’s Top Six Tips to Declutter a Closet.
Start from scratch — take everything out of your closet and sort it. Throw out old and damaged clothing. Donate what you do not need or don’t wear.
Use the 80/20 Rule — The average American only wears 10 to 20 percent of their clothes. Remove items you have not worn in a year. Donate the excess.
Out with the odd — Only keep clothes, shoes, and accessories in your closet. Tax records, old gift bags and the like don’t belong next to your stack of sweaters.
One in, one out — For every new article of clothing you bring into your closet, get rid of a similar item. If you are feeling energized or are really strapped for space; up the ratio to one in, two out.
Donation direction — Face hangers in one direction and turn them around when you wear what’s on it. After six months, clothes on hangers facing the original direction can be put in the donation pile.
Keep it clean — Decluttering is an ongoing effort. After you get your closet in order, spend a few minutes every week straightening it up. This will help you avoid another major clean in the future.
Donating items from your decluttering efforts is also good for your health. There is evidence that it secretes “feel good” chemicals in our brains, such as serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin.
