Organizing Is Important to Your Health

#Disorganization can affect your mental and physical health, says Piedmont Healthcare. It may manifest as a symptom of attention deficit disorder (ADD), depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and exacerbate feelings of #stress, depression and anxiety. That’s why it’s important to celebrate National Get Organized Day this week and any other day of the year you can find the time to #declutter and #streamline your life. “An excessive amount of stress can actually lead to premature death,” Millennials in Motion points out. “Therefore, one could argue that staying organized can literally save one’s life.” #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Take Organizing One Day at a Time – Starting Today

You may not be anticipating National Get Organized Day with the enthusiasm you might for a national #holiday such as Memorial Day or Thanksgiving, says Infotek Consulting, but getting #organized can actually you feel less stressed, more productive and happier overall. Start by #decluttering and #organizing a single drawer, shelf or closet today as the start of a new, #clutter-free you. #Set aside the #junk you don’t need for a #donation to ClothingDonations.org, then schedule a time to move on to another space. “Take it day by day, one room (or office drawer) at a time, and watch as you become more stress-free, productive and happier.” #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Celebrate National Get Organized Day

April 26 is a special holiday for The Organizing Blog — National Get Organized Day. The annual observance invites people nationwide to take stock of their #stuff, #declutter, and otherwise #organize and #streamline their lives. #Organization can take many forms, Days of the Year points out; you may choose to organize a physical space such as a #closet, filing cabinet or kitchen drawer, or you can organize a virtual space such as your e-mail inbox or digital pictures. You can also celebrate by creating daily habits that improve your organization over time: Create a to-do list, weekly meal plan or a “drop zone” where you put new stuff entering the house to make life less chaotic. #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Re-Energizing for a Perfect Summer

No matter where you go, a perfect #summer should allow time for a little R&R. Take a whole day (or two) to do absolutely nothing alone or with family, suggests Swift Wellness. Go outside and take a hike. Lay in a hammock or deck chair and read a book. Revisit an old hobby or take the time to learn something new. Turn off your phone and social media feeds for a day. #Clean and #declutter the entire house — and #donate the #stuff that’s getting in the way of a calm and #clutter-free mind. “Taking a break can feel like you’re not doing enough and missing out. However, this is far from the truth. Time off is time to re-energize.” #PerfectSummer

Junk Hides in the Most Obvious Places

In a consumer society, household #junk tends to build up. You go out and buy the latest fashions, gadgets and gewgaws, and they either become a part of the daily routine or your personal style, or they don’t.

Lots of that #stuff is probably packed away in boxes or hidden in the backs of #closets, with only a dim memory of their purpose remaining. But still more stuff is likely hiding in plain sight — and making your home a #cluttered #mess.

Think about it: Do you have stacks of #clothing where they shouldn’t be — anywhere outside your closets and dressers? Are mail and paperwork piling up on your desk? Is the kitchen table or entryway littered with new purchases or decorative items?

You are not alone. Most homes have “dump” zones where new stuff or stuff that hasn’t been integrated into the everyday lands. The trouble is that sometimes this stuff doesn’t find a spot for months or even years, especially if you have a smaller space.

All of this piled-up #clutter can easily make you feel overwhelmed. “It usually isn’t until the walls are closing in or someone brings those things to our attention that we do something about it,” says California-based Organizing Concepts & Designs.

What can you do? Find ways to tame those piles and places for those things. Go room to room and make an honest assessment of what needs to be in sight and readily accessible, and what can be hidden in storage or dispensed with altogether.

You might find that you need more shelves to display your knickknacks, a filing cabinet for your office, an underbed box for your extra linens or a new #storage system for your #closet. Don’t hesitate to install them; cost-effective solutions are available.

As you take stock of your stuff, you will find things hiding in plain sight that you no longer want or need. #Donate them to ClothingDonations.org by scheduling a free #donation #pickup for your #purge. Keep at it, and soon you’ll enjoy a #clutter-free, #organized home.