Famed Professional Organizer, Peter Walsh, wrote a book titled, “Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?”. Aside from the cute and quite appropro title, he saw a connection between a more organized home and people meeting weight loss and health goals. I, too, have personally seen interesting transformations through the years in my 20 years of working with clients. As we turn our calendars to a new year, let’s discuss how resolutions such as “getting more organized” and “losing weight/living healthier lives” actually do go hand in hand, creating a healthier you.
January tends to be my busiest month of the year. Why? “Getting more organized” is a top New Year’s resolution for many. It’s National Get Organized Month, so you are likely to read and see all kinds of stories in magazines, morning talk shows and the like. When our industry is highlighted, people get interested and the calls and emails come in. Plus, my regular clients who take time off during the holidays are ready to start back.
While I do indeed get busy reorganizing physical spaces, I am asked to help with goal setting, time management and productivity as well. After all, a more efficient you leads to a calmer you, ie one form of a healthier you, which leads to more time for the fun in your life.
So, let’s get started with some tips on how getting more organized can indeed lead to a healthier you in this new year.
The Kitchen – This may seem obvious but it’s still worth discussing. I recently cleaned out a pantry, refrigerator and freezer for a client who has had some health challenges and is committing to losing weight and obtaining better lab results. Out went packaged foods and items high in sodium/carbs/sugar. A food pantry was the lucky recipient of some of these items! In their place were all the healthy foods he had recently purchased and organized in a way that he could see and made sense for him. As part of the process, we discussed meal planning, grocery shopping tips, as well as quick and easy food prep.
Your Bedroom – Creating a calm, organized bedroom has been shown to lead to better sleep. And better sleep leads to a healthier, more rested you in order to handle your daily tasks and responsibilities. An organized closet allows you to get dressed with ease and not run the risk of running late in an effort to find clean, appropriate clothes to wear each day.
A Dumping Ground/Launching Pad Area – Create a space where items can be placed that need to leave the house, ie work items, gym bag, backpacks, returns, etc. It’s a great idea to say, “I’ll put this by the door, so I remember to take it tomorrow morning.” But if that area is cluttered, you won’t see it and will likely leave without it.
Starting a new year can be exciting and offers a slew of possibilities. Like exercise, you may not always enjoy organizing but you know it’s important and goes a long, long way towards a healthier you – both physically and mentally. And, hey, once you get started, you will likely experience a range of healthy emotions including peace, joy, and a sense of accomplishment.
Happy 2024 and may this year bring you all good things!
Holiday Organizing Tips for a More Relaxing and Enjoyable Season
