Happy New Year!  The New Year is always a time to start fresh.  Did you know "Getting Organized" is one of the top 10 New Year's resolutions every year?  It makes sense since clutter is scientifically proven to cause stress and anxiety. While we love creating beautiful spaces for our clients, we also place a huge importance on function as well.

“Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Messy homes and workspaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed” says psychologist Sherrie Bourg Carter from Psychology Today.

• Clutter overwhelms us because it causes excessive stimuli so our senses go into overdrive

• It distracts us from other things we’d like to focus on

• It makes it harder to mentally and physically relax

• It signals to our minds that our work is never done

• It can impede productivity and creativity

• It makes it harder for us to find what we need and takes away time from doing other things on our list

“Yet, rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives,” says Carter.

Here are a few tips to help you get clutter free:

1. Purge. In the words of Marie Kondo, if it doesn’t bring you joy, say “thank you” and remove it from your home. Go through every cabinet, drawer and closet one-by-one and ruthlessly get rid of things you haven’t used in a year.  Chances are if you have a shirt that you “might wear one day” you’ll always find something else you’d rather wear so might as well donate it to someone else who can use it!

2. Clean.  Start the year fresh with a deep clean. Don’t wait for Spring. You know how good it feels so good to walk into your home when it’s clean!

3.  Designate. Once you’ve cleaned out, it will be much easier to give the remaining items a home, helping you find things easier later and keep things organized in their designated places. This will keep new clutter at bay.

4. Streamline.  With everything in its rightful spot, getting out the door, finding an outfit, even cooking dinner will become more streamlined and less stressful.  Create an order to certain tasks that normally bring you anxiety and stick to your schedule to create a more productive day.

5. Maintain.  Don’t wait until next January to do another house cleanse. Once a quarter, go through everything (it will be much faster after your initial purge!) Making sure everything is still on track and adjusting systems as needed is key.  Maintenance is what keeps your home organized year-round.

6.  Enjoy!  Enjoy your newfound productivity, creativity and relaxation in your new spaces! A calm home is a place you will find rest and want to spend your days. When your home is clutter free, it functions at its best and as a result, so do you.