If you take a moment to consider then benefits of being organized, a few obvious points come to mind, such as relieving stress, increasing productivity, and even helping you feel in control. But you may be surprised to learn that there are some health benefits of being organized as well.
From improved sleep to having a higher metabolic rate to supporting healthy eating, keeping your home organized provides benefits to both your mental and physical health.
Ready to learn more? Keep reading to discover all the health benefits of being organized, and get some of my very own tips to get and stay organized in your daily life!
Here are five of the top benefits of being organized.
If you’ve ever had someone stop by unexpectedly or ask to come over with limited warning, you know the stress and anxiety that can occur quite quickly if your house isn’t clean and organized. That’s why one of the best benefits of being organized is that it relieves stress.
Because chronic stress often results in adrenal fatigue, which affects many different areas within the body, getting your clutter organized can go a long way in helping to relieve not only stress and anxiety but also help prevent a myriad of other condiions.
While Americans tend to deprioritize their heart health, heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S., accounting for 1 in 4 deaths every year. [1] Additionally, someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds. [2]
Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to reduce your risk of a heart-related event—and organizing your home tops the list! In fact, a study has shown that spending just 30 minutes cleaning and organizing can reduce your risk of heart disease by 20 percent!* [3]
Now, I believe this happened for two reasons: First, cleaning and organizing your home require movement and activity, which are known to support cardiovascular health. But also simply having an organized home can reduce stress, as we’ve discussed above, which can also help to promote heart health.
According to a 2011 study, having multiple stimuli in your line of sight can cause you to become distracted and unable to focus on any given task. [4] But having a clean, organized space doesn’t present you with multiple stimuli. This is why increased productivity is one of the benefits of being organized.
When you aren’t being distracted by other objects or clutter, you can focus on what you’re trying to accomplish, whether it’s a work-related task or even something to promote your health and well-being.
Think about it: Can you exercise in your living room if you have clutter thrown about? No, you’ll be distracted and focused on how the house needs to be decluttered and cleaned. But if there’s nothing out of place in the room, you won’t have that problem and can focus on getting in a healthy workout!
Our modern lives are busier than ever, and we juggle more than our ancestors ever thought possible. As a result, you can easily start to feel overwhelmed by it all.
But one of the benefits of being organized at home is that it gives you a feeling of being in control of your environment. But it goes beyond this.
Keeping your house organized may even help you control your appetite and cravings!
While it may be hard to believe, research has shown that when people were in a clutter-filled environment, they tended to consume about three times more calories than those whose environment was clean and organized. [5]
The researchers hypothesized that a chaotic environment can create a vulnerability to results in making unhealthy food choices.
Believe it or not, having a cluttered home can actually increase your likelihood of developing depression. [6] In fact, studies have shown that people who live in an area with high pollution are more likely to be depressed.
Conversely, cleaning and organizing your home requires active decision-making, patience, careful thought, and even emotional regulation, which all impact your likelihood of falling into depression.
By keeping yourself engaged and active, you’re less likely to become depressed.
Life can get crazy sometimes, so you don’t want to let clutter lie around for very long in order to keep it in control.
Here are some tips to help keep your home organized.
1. Clean as you make the mess. I like to clean as I cook or fold and put away laundry as I pull it out of the dryer. Leaving a mess and clutter that you have to come back to is overwhelming and can also cause issues in your personal relationships. By cleaning up after yourself right away, you don’t have to circle back.
2. Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Yes, it’s nice to think that you can declutter and clean your entire home in one day, but is it realistic?
When I was reorganizing my home, I chose to empty and replace/restock one cabinet at a time or plan to organize just one closet in a single weekend. Trying to do too much almost guarantees that you won’t get your items completed, which can leave you feeling lie a failure.
3. Set yourself up for health. As you’re organizing, ask yourself how this task can help to promote your overall health and well-being. When reorganizing your refrigerator, make sure to stock it with easy, nutritious foods you enjoy. When doing your closet, focus on a few outfits you can’t wait to wear again.
By focusing on the positive aspects of organizing your home, you’ll be motivated to continue, which will only benefit your health even more!