Whether you’ve always been a tidy person or aspire to be one, many of us start off the new year vowing to improve our ways. After all, January is National Get Organized Month.
Research shows that living in a disorganized space can make it hard to focus, cause irritability, stress, and even create arguments among family members. A study in “Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin,” reports finding higher levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) in people whose spaces were not clean and tidy.
For instance, Maddie Johnston finds it difficult to function if her space isn’t put together. A junior at Rochester Institute of Technology, she’s graduating early this year with a degree in biomedical sciences. “It helps me to be in a space that’s clean,” she says. “I can’t do work unless my bed is made, things are put away, my clothes are put away. “
But not everyone is born with the organizing gene. That’s where a professional organizer can make all the difference—guiding clients through what to keep, what to toss, and how to make their space actually work for them. Rochester is home to several professionals who specialize in helping people take control of their space and make it truly functional.
According to Christine DiGiovanni, owner of Organized at Home in Irondequoit, “You want your space to be relaxing and comfortable. You don’t want to walk into your house and see just a mess everywhere.” But cutting through the clutter and figuring out what to do with it all can be overwhelming and even emotional.
For some clients, “it’s definitely very deep,” says Dina Madigan, owner of Dina Organizes in Pittsford. “I say to them, ‘We will get through this.’” Before you begin, both experts say to create three categories: toss, donate, keep.
The most important step is the purge, DiGiovanni says. This is where you throw out things that are broken or ruined and donate what you can. Knowing your stuff will benefit and maybe even be loved by someone else can help you let go of it.
Don’t be alarmed as you watch the piles grow. “[Decluttering] kind of gets worse before it gets better,” Madigan says.
If the goal is to clean out a large space, start small, even if it’s one drawer. “It’s okay to put a timer on your phone for, like, 15 minutes and do some work, and when the timer goes off, give yourself a break,” explains DiGiovanni.
If you aren’t ready to part with something, date it, put it in a box, and set it aside. Unless it’s seasonal, if you haven’t used it in a month, it may be time to let it go. Madigan says the “organizing magic” happens with whatever remains. If your budget allows, she recommends plastic bins labeled with their contents; if not, boxes work just as well. Either way, you’ll not only clean up your space—you’ll also make it easier to find what you need, when you need it.
A popular idea in the kitchen is putting everything in glass containers. DiGiovanni did this in her pantry. While the containers were an investment, she says she’s saving money in the long run because she’s not buying food and ingredients she already has.
How to maintain your new-and-improved space?
Clean up every day: Both experts don’t go to bed without tidying up. That way, you’re not starting the day stressed or distracted by last night’s mess.
Out with the old: If you bring something in, take something out. If you buy a new pair of jeans, donate something from your closet. This helps you manage your stuff—and your wallet. You may find that you have more of a shopping problem than an organizational problem, Madigan says.
Create a schedule: For example, Monday could be the day you wash your bed linens. On Wednesday, clean the bathroom. Don’t leave all of your cleaning for one day, DiGiovanni advises.
Put it away right away: It’s tempting after a busy day to just drop your stuff on the nearest chair when you get home. You make more work for yourself if you don’t put it in the correct place. “Taking that extra step to put things away in the proper spot will keep you organized,” Madigan says.
Eventually, DiGiovanni says, it really does become a way of life, one that can have a ripple effect on your overall well-being. You won’t be rushing to find something and wind up late for an appointment. You will have what you need to make dinner instead of getting take-out. You’ll have time to do the fun things you want to do—and not feel guilty about it.
“If you feel good about yourself and your space,” Madigan says, “then I do believe the law of attraction will open up. Good things happen.”