Overwhelm is a chief contributor to weariness. Being physically, emotionally, and spiritually overwhelmed can zap your energy. Overwhelm is the end result of incremental doses of too much – too much pressure, too much responsibility, too much going on. Imagine holding a bucket over your head and dropping cups full of water into it. Things are fine until all of a sudden, the bucket overflows and you’re covered in water. Overwhelm is just like that!
Unplugging is the key to reducing overwhelm and there’s no better place to unplug than at home. Being in the comfort of your home where you can truly relax and recover is magical if your home is conducive to rest.
Having a clean and tidy home makes rest easier and more effective. Being able to unplug in a clean and clutter-free space helps with restoration of your energy. Organizing your home can make resting easier because you aren’t over-stimulated by clutter, including sights, smells, and other distractions. Here are some organizational tips to reduce clutter and make your home a restful space.
Organizational Tip #1: The basket method. Baskets are an excellent way to gather clutter to distribute back to their proper place. Keep baskets in strategic places in your home and quickly gather lose items and return to their proper space. Set a basket at the base of the stairs or front hallway to gather items for bedrooms. Place a basket in the garage to capture items that need to go inside. A basket located in the laundry room can help rogue items from the laundry find their proper home.
Organization Tip #2: Controlled chaos. Sometimes clutter is inevitable. Sometimes things accumulate – mail, schoolwork, to-do lists – and they don’t have a proper place. Sometimes you are working on a project and it isn’t feasible to put things away until the job is done. No matter, you can easily control the chaos by placing the items together in a safe space that is tidy but accessible. An example could be storing lose papers in a large container in a common space. Stacking project items into a neat pile between work sessions. Making things look less chaotic can reduce the visual impact clutter has on your mind.
Organization Tip #3: Finish what you start. One of the easiest ways to avoid overwhelm is to stay on top of things. Clutter happens over time – it starts small and builds up. Sort of like a train leaving the station. When it first leaves the station, it can’t move very fast. If it needed to stop it could do so pretty easily. Once the train gets rolling, it takes great effort and distance to slow its roll and stop. Clutter can turn to chaos in the same way. By cleaning as you go, you can stop things from getting out of hand. Clear the table, do the dishes, and clean up after meals. Make the bed and clean up the bedroom at the beginning of the day.
You can increase the likelihood that your time at home will be restful by keeping your home organized. Taking small steps add up quickly and make it easier to keep things neat and tidy so you can rest when you need to rejuvenate for a new day.
