Often, I'm asked why bother organizing because everything will only get disorganized again. Well, there's a huge difference between living in a home that's organized and one that isn't. A messy house isn't a replacement for a trip to the gym!
True, it offers the opportunity to practice your broad-jumping skills leaping over the piles of stuff on the floor. What if you don't land where you expect and injure yourself? Stair climbing with multitude loads of belongings going either up or down may be considered exercise, however the danger of falling with your arms full is also possible. Better to work out at the gym.
Speaking of safety, that's a very good reason to be organized and eliminate clutter. Think about the result if you had to leave your home quickly, and piles of clutter blocked your exit route. You could trip, fall, and perhaps risk not escaping a burning building.
Fire is also a hazard when paper is hoarded. I once knew someone who kept newspapers stacked all over the apartment because they contained articles that would someday be clipped and filed as resource material. That certainly was a fire waiting to happen. In today's world, the Internet can provide any resource material you will ever need, and in addition, it will be more current than that contained in old newspapers. And, it does not cause fires-at least the kind that burn down houses.
The same applies to a collection of books and magazines being kept "just in case". Or oil you've removed from your vehicle and haven't sent to the hazardous waste depot. Or matches easily accessible to children. Or,....I'm sure you can finish this sentence with examples of your own.
Think about how much plastic there is in out homes today. Burning plastic is toxic. Who needs to breathe that in?
We could also discuss the health hazards of having piles of clothing, empty take-out food containers and whatever else lands on those piles. Once they take over your space, so do rodents and other undesirable critters, not to mention what they do to your home.
Or water leaks. Call in the plumber or roofer before water and mold creep into the walls and floors, causing your home to be inhabitable.
Taken to the extreme, clutter can cause your home to be inhabitable due to health risks. Is it really worth letting that happen? I don't think so.
With organized closets, you'll easily be able to find what you want to wear, and it will be ready. An organized pantry ensures you use food before its expiry date. And, with an organized refrigerator, food will not spoil because you will see what you have in order to use it.
Keeping your vehicle organized includes regular maintenance so it will perform the way it's intended; filling up with fuel on your way home will ensure you can jump into your vehicle and go in the middle of the night in case of emergency.
This brings us to organizing your garage. The main purpose for a garage is to park your vehicle in it. Often, a garage ends up being a storage area, and sometimes so full that not even one more little item will not fit. My question is why is all that stuff there. If it's not used regularly, it probably isn't needed at all. Therefore, it can go elsewhere to make space for the auto.
So, why get organized? Because it's good for your health, may save your life, and you'll feel so much better when you're unencumbered with all that extra. Good enough reasons for me!
Wishing you an organized life!
Moreen Torpy is the De-Clutter Coach, a Trained Professional Organizer, Author, and Speaker. Let's Get Organized: 172 tiplets to simplify life is her first published work. See http://www.decluttercoach.ca to subscribe to Let's Get Organized, her monthly e-zine or purchase the booklet.
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