This is part one of a four-part series on decluttering, downsizing, and organizing.
By Sandie Timm, Professional Organizer
Research shows over and over that our environment is intrinsically related to our mental health. Think about how you feel on a sunny day versus a gloomy day, how your stress level likely goes down when you go out into nature for a walk, or how your stress level goes up when trying to be productive amidst ongoing construction noise.
In the same way, a UCLA study demonstrated a strong correlation between clutter in your home and elevated levels of cortisol—the stress hormone. High cortisol levels are associated with increases in heart and lung disease, anxiety, depression, irritability, and fatigue.
An article in Neuroscience News also shows that we may not even consciously notice the clutter in our environments that is causing these stress reactions—stacks of papers on our counters, trash masquerading as clutter (junk mail, electronics cables that you have been hanging on to for years, clothes you never wear), unfinished projects. And that clutter is negatively impacting your mental landscape just the same.
Perhaps an equally (or more?) compelling reason for older folks to declutter is that if you don’t declutter, your stuff becomes your children’s burden. Many adult children already feel sandwiched between caring for their aging parents and their children. As Americans are living longer, your adult children may themselves be thinking about downsizing or retiring. Adding liquidating a parent’s estate to their plate is stressful, overwhelming, and time-consuming.
Many folks start thinking about decluttering and minimizing when they are planning a move to a smaller home. But decluttering is important and can and should be done no matter what size your home is or what stage of life you are in.
While beginning the decluttering process may seem daunting, the good news is that there has never been more support for the process. There are TV series (Marie Kondo), blogs (Martha Stewart), and books (Home Edit) available to provide direction. There are entire stores and product lines devoted to containing and organizing your items in a simple, streamlined manner. There is also ample professional help. Similar to hiring a personal trainer to help meet your fitness goals, a professional organizer offers expertise, strategies, and accountability for your decluttering process.
Sandie helps clients create beautiful, organized spaces that allow simpler, calmer, and more efficient lives. Her love affair with simplifying and organizing started when she was a young girl arranging (and then rearranging) her bookshelves.
Her instinctual practice of keeping spaces organized and simple evolved into a ten-plus year career preparing homes for the market with the top real estate team in Silicon Valley and as a personal organizer to private clients––editing, downsizing, simplifying, organizing, and elevating people’s homes and lives.
Sandie@sandietimm.com | 650-796-3375 | Insta: @sandie_timm_home
Throughout the “The Nuts and Bolts” section of this blog, we will introduce you to the practical needs in retirement.
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