Elizabeth Miri | The Monarch Ranger
AUSTIN – Minimalism and having a home “aesthetic” has started to pop up everywhere. We are bombarded with images of perfect Pinterest-worthy homes and spaces. However, is there an actual benefit to creating an aesthetically pleasing home?
As it turns out, this trend is backed up by scientific evidence. Cleaning and organization can reduce stress, increase happiness, and improve both mental and physical health.
From the 1960s to 1970s, the concept of minimalism rose in popularity. By definition, minimalism intentionally promotes the things we most value and removes everything that is distracting. This practice has gained popularity as a tool to manage stress by paring down your belongings to decrease clutter. This helps to make cleaning easier, which in turn leads to a more consistently organized home.
In the beginning of the 20th century, Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung theorized that our homes are a reflection of ourselves and our identity. He believed that the way we construct our space is closely connected to our inner narrative and mental state of mind. His theories laid the groundwork for what is known today as “Environmental Psychology.”
Numerous studies have been done that link clutter with stress, anxiety, and even depression, which strongly implies that cleaning and organizing your home and office could have a positive effect on your mental well-being.
Not only is having an organized space helpful for mental health, but it can also help you make healthier food choices. In 2016, students at Cornell and Syracuse Universities conducted a study on participants in an extremely disorganized kitchen versus an organized one. The participants were offered different snacks. They were unaware that the students would be recording their choices.
Surprisingly, those that were in the cluttered environment ate more than twice the amount of cookies as those in the clean kitchen. The students concluded that their results were due to the stressful nature of the cluttered environments.
Similar findings were found by a study done by Amanda M. Raines, et al. They found that people with extremely cluttered homes are 77% more likely to be overweight. Although cleaning is not a magical cure for weight loss, living in a clutter-free environment could lead to making healthier choices in your daily diet.
Even though it can be challenging to know where to start, there are some easy tips for successful cleaning.
One strategy is to divide the target area into small tasks. For example, if your goal is to clean your office, start with your desk instead of tackling the whole room at once. Separate the space into manageable tasks that you complete one at a time after evaluating the situation.
It can also be helpful to make a list. Decide which tasks are priorities, and which you will reserve for later. For example, if you are cleaning your desk, first you could sort through what needs to be kept. Throw out trash and put away things that don’t belong there. Then you could figure out how you will organize the items needed at your desk. Following a plan can motivate you as you get closer and closer to your goal.
If you are ever lacking motivation to start or finish cleaning, remind yourself why you are doing it. Cleaning guru Marie Kondo said that “the objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.”
But perhaps Albert Einstein said it best. Einstein once remarked, “Out of clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”
Take the opportunity to simplify your life – you just might make it a little bit happier.
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