A teen’s bedrooms and a mess. Those two things are a given, right? College dorm rooms and tight space creates a mess. It’s a given, right? Wrong. And let’s not just point at the teens, because we all have our junk drawers and closets crammed full of who-knows-what. But there is a point where that clutter begins to cause a problem, where it impacts our environment, and mental and physical health in a negative way.
Those piles of paper, magazines, books, clothes, and dirty dishes actually increase stress levels, and have been directly associated with anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Clutter also affects our ability to focus, and it can prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep. Let’s face it, constantly looking for things that get lost isn't fun.
Furthermore, clutter can have a negative impact on our ability to be creative, process social situations accurately, think critically, and frankly, it has a negative impact on the visual appeal and comfort level of our living space.
So as parent, if you see that your teen or college-aged young adult has a clutter problem, jump in and help them to become more organized. And if you, as a parent, have a home in a similar state, think about setting a good example and taking steps to de-clutter.
To begin:
Start by cutting the clutter. Toss items that aren’t needed or that don’t bring you joy.
Set up separate work areas, stocked with the supplies needed for that work, study, or hobby.
Set a consistent daily time, perhaps before heading to bed, to give your home/room/living area a quick once-over and make sure that everything is put away. Additionally, schedule a weekly time to clean and re-organize.
If the de-cluttering or clean-up ahead of you is too overwhelming, then here are a few ideas that might help:
Instead of doing a marathon clean-up, break the job into smaller steps. Set a timer (20-25 minutes) to tackle a task and when that timer goes off, stop. Take a break, and start all over again after a short breather or even later in the day, but do get back to it again.
Forget about making your space perfect. Perfection is over-rated. Focus on the "good enough" theory. Make the space presentable.
Put on music to set an upbeat mood and make the task more fun.
Put away your phone. Silence it and stick it in a drawer so that it doesn’t become a distraction and you lose your motivation, train of thought, momentum.
Ask a friend to help if it’s just too overwhelming or if you need the extra motivation. The caveat here though, is to make sure you stay focused on your goal and don’t get distracted by your company.
Specific de-clutter strategies::
Have a place for everything. This part may take a little time to accomplish but once done, maintaining an organized space is much easier. Have a basket for mail, a tray by the TV for the remote, a box or hook next to the door for keys. Everything needs its own space and everything needs to be in its space. You’ll save yourself a lot of time not having to search for these frequently lost items over and over again!
Put a trash can in every room in your home. If a trash can is always handy, you’ll be more likely to throw items away.
Put a laundry hamper near your closet for use whenever you change your clothes. No more clothes piled on the chairs or floor!
Identify the areas where piles consistently accumulate, such as the table where your mail piles up, or the corner where shoes are tossed. Identify those spots and once sorted, manage them daily before heading to bed.
Create and keep an organized desk or study space. Books on a book shelf. Thumb drives, printer ink, pens, tape, stapler, etc in a drawer. Paper into desktop shelving.
Organizing aids such as baskets, tubs, and small shelves can be purchased very cheaply at your favorite big box, dollar, or office supply store. Shoeboxes work well too! Once you have your containers, label them to make it easier to see what goes into what bin more quickly
Do your dishes or load your dishwasher after every meal.
Do your laundry as soon as you have a load, rather than letting dirty clothes accumulate.
Do you shop as a form of entertainment? Bear in mind that this can be a real clutter hazard, so buy intentionally. When you get your item(s) home, find a place for them immediately, and use the one-in-one-out trick. For every new item you bring into your home, one item has to go out. Believe me, following this rule will save you some angst in the future.
And now for a few words of encouragement:
We realize that cleaning-up and de-cluttering can bring up negative emotions, even physical discomfort. For this reason, it is especially important to break up your tasks into smaller bits in order to overcome the situation where you’d rather avoid the job all together. Smaller tasks work just fine and still get the job done.
Reward yourself after finishing each step! Take a hike, visit your favorite coffee shop, hang with friends. After tackling a difficult task, you’ve earned it.
The quality of your life will be better and your living space more enjoyable when you make decluttering a part of your routine. Think about it: no more overflowing kitchen sink or laundry basket, no more missed deadlines because important papers got lost, no more lateness to class or work because you’ve been looking for lost keys, no more struggling with an overly crowded closet when you’re trying to get ready for the day, no more late bills or lost gift cards or tossed food that got pushed to the back of a too cluttered fridge. Just think of it!
Final thoughts:
Your home should be your haven, your soft place to land in a world that is sometimes too hard. Having a messy home has nothing to do with your worth as a person, it just means that you’re human. By spending time de-cluttering, cleaning up, and organizing, you’re transforming your home into the oasis that you deserve.
