It Is Not About The Perfect Space
I’m not your average Professional Organizer.
Actually, I don’t even like to think of myself as a “professional organizer.” I know the work that I am fortunate enough to do goes much deeper than a pretty closet or perfectly labeled pantry.
When most people think of organization, they think of having the perfect space that’s decked out with expensive bins and labels. Everything is color coordinated and never out of place. Who lives like that? Not this mom with two little girls, a very hairy golden retriever and a husband who thinks his piles on the floor are a good system.
To me, organization is not about having the perfect space, it’s about creating a clear and calm space which allows me to show up the way I want to in life.
When I work with clients, I capture before and after images of their spaces. This is great for marketing, but what I wish I could capture is how the individual transforms as a result of the space transformation. This is where the true magic happens.
Clutter and Disorganization Is More Than Stuff
Many of us think of clutter and disorganization as just a pile of stuff. This pile of stuff or that closet full of items that don’t bring any value to your life have such power over us.
Coming from that pile is frustration, lost money, poorly managed time, health goals that went by the wayside or even resentment and tension in a relationship.
This pile of stuff runs much deeper than we see at the surface.
This Is Your Brain on Clutter
It is not because we are naturally lazy, choose to be bad with finances or want to argue with our family about insignificant things. It is about how we are hard-wired as humans. It is about how our brains respond to the spaces around us. This is not theory, this is science with data and studies that support it.
Clutter and chaos in our environment triggers a stress response in our brain.
We’re stressed, unmotivated, and less present when we’re surrounded by clutter.
When we’re constantly triggering a stress response, we limit our brain’s ability to be more present, focused, rational and compassionate. If we clear our space, we can quiet that trigger and leverage the smart part of our brain.
Systems Save Your Brain
Another way to look at it is your brain as an energy bank. You only have so much energy to use in each day. When our spaces are cluttered making it hard to find things or to easily identify where to put them away, we are wasting energy for the mundane daily tasks.
Instead, when we have good systems and things are relatively in order, we use little to no brain energy to do
things such as find our keys, wallet, and glasses when we are ready to walk out the door. This is reserving brain energy for the important things in life such as patience when our spouse or friend needs us to listen,
creativity when working on a project or even just a little extra energy for yourself at the end of a long day.
This is one of the many reasons I love working with families and individuals in their homes, especially as they are moving into a new home.
It seems like there are a million things to prepare for the sale of your home and to prepare for the move, only to find there are, what seems like a million more, things to do once you actually move in.
The Heart and The Mind
The kitchen is the heart of the home, and it often seems as though the home, and minds, are not settled until the kitchen, or the heart, is. I love creating systems in the kitchen!
I work with many home buyers, and as they move in and are running around getting a variety of services installed, directing movers to the new location of their belongings and trying to recall “where did all this stuff come from!”, I get to create a space that they can enjoy on the very first night and for years to come.
Not only do they get a space to enjoy a meal the very first evening in their home, even if it is prepared by someone else, but they have a space that is set up in a way that is more efficient – giving them the time, energy and presence of mind to enjoy the special moments that will be shared in their new home.
When our space is clear and settled, our minds are too.
Whether it is a new home or a place you’ve called home for decades, if you are feeling unsettled, low on energy or just need some focus- look around at your space and see where you can create a greater sense of calm.
Want to learn more about how Life Made Simple can create systems in YOUR home to make life a little less chaotic?
Feel free to send an email to lifemadesimpleathome@gmail.com
