The research is out there: A tidy home is a happier home. Studies show that a messy environment can cause anxiety , physical stress , and even depression . Conversely, a clean home promotes a state of mindfulness and increased physical activity . "There's a strong connection between physical order and mental order," says Tyler Moore, father of 3, New York City educator and founder of the home cleaning and organization supersite Tidy Dad . "Often the state of our home is a physical manifestation of the clutter we sense in our brains," he says.
Moore has helped countless people manage their cleaning and organization needs, and she says that accomplishing your spring cleaning goals doesn't have to be overwhelming. "I highly recommend starting with a small space, like your personal closet," he says.
After applying the first three tips below to a room in your home, repeat until each room or area is organized to your satisfaction. Then follow the last two tips to keep it that way.
Gather everything in one place. When organizing a space, it's important to gather all the clutter and items in one place. "It's easier to decide what to keep and what to throw away when you have everything in one place," says Moore. From there, sorting things into discrete categories becomes imperative. For a wardrobe, categories such as shoes, shirts, jeans, and hats can form their own groups. "Once the items are sorted into similar categories, you have a much better idea of what needs to be organized," says Moore.
Spend time with objects. Once everything is collected and categorized, you can start the editing process. "Editing," as Moore calls it, is about deciding which items to keep ("Choose which items you want to take with you into your future," he says) and which to give away or throw away. According to Moore, editing is "a deeply emotional process" because people have a meaningful connection to so many things they own. "As you edit, sit down with your feelings and then develop a strategic plan for how to proceed," he suggests. That means improving your decision-making skills and limiting the number of items you want to store in that space.
give everyone a home. One of the most important steps in decluttering and organizing is making sure everything you want to put away has a designated place. "It's important that the systems are logical and that the items are kept where they will be used most," says Moore. And think about who will be using the things you store and which items should not be available to everyone in your home. "If you're organizing something for children, think about which items you want children to have access to and which you don't want them to have access to," she advises.
Establish good cleaning habits. Finding a home for everything is just the start, keeping things organized is just as important. Moore says everyone in a household should make it a habit to put things back after each use. "Putting things back in their original place is key to maintaining an organized space," she says. Such habits likely change with each stage of life, but at the very least, Moore recommends "a 10-minute nightly cleaning" to make sure everything is where it's supposed to be. "Set a timer and work from room to room, returning items to their original locations," she advises.
It affects the whole family. Although decluttering and organizing households often starts with adults, children can also learn to do their part. "Our girls are young and still learning what it means to tidy a room," says Moore. "As they got older, we gradually gave them more storage responsibilities." These responsibilities include reminding children to put away toys, tidying up play areas before bed, and encouraging children to catch up on family chores like laundry, setting the table, and tidying up to participate in the meal. "Children are happy to take on more and more responsibility," Moore says, "but it's important that organizational systems are in place to support their growing independence."
Ultimately, a physically clean space can also lead to an emotionally cleaner space. "I learned that by simplifying our home, I could create more mental space for the things that matter," Moore said. "The goal of the organization is to design a system that makes your life easier."
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