Picture this scenario: after a long day, you walk into your home and are greeted with toy cabinets bursting with unused toys, closets overflowing with unworn clothes, and that never-ending stack of papers that just seems to keep growing.
It all seems too much, so you sit down to relax in front of the TV, creating your to-do list, and attempting to ignore the chaos around you. You are stressed out, but still don’t know what the root cause of your stress is, or how to fix it.
However, a new study reveals the real root of your stress is something you can change instantly, and it might not be what you think.
While companies that sell products said to “fix your life” may lead you to believe organization is the solution, it’s not.
The real secret isn’t to organize more; it’s actually to own less.
And if you feel like you have too much clutter, have no fear, you are not alone.
A 4-year study was done on 32 families, measuring their stress-levels and determining what is making them so stressed.
Studies showed jam-packed schedules and cluttered homes drove much of the stress, but could be reversed with a simple act of donating unused items, and spending time outdoors.
Boston Globe reported:
“The scientists working with UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives of Families studied the dual-income families the same way they would animal subjects. They videotaped the activities of family members, tracked their moves with position-locating devices, and documented their homes, yards, and activities with thousands of photographs. They even took saliva samples to measure stress hormones.
The goal, said Jeanne E. Arnold, lead author and a professor of anthropology at UCLA, was to document what is right in front of us, yet invisible.
“What we have is a time capsule of America,” she said. “No other study has been done like this. Imagine how exciting it would be if we could go back to 1912 and see how people were living in their homes. That’s the core of any society”…
Arnold said she was bothered most by the lack of time study subjects spent enjoying the outdoors.
“Something like 50 of the 64 parents in our study never stepped outside in the course of about a week,” she said. “When they gave us tours of their house they’d say, ‘Here’s the backyard, I don’t have time to go there.’ They were working a lot at home. Leisure time was spent in front of the TV or at the computer.”
Of course, it’s perfectly fine to buy toys and games for your child, and let them have fun playing.
The goal, however, is to make sure your toy cabinet isn’t overflowing with unused toys. Teach your child to care for their possessions, and clean up when they’re done.
You can even institute a policy in your home, for every new toy, one must be donated.
Get rid of items you don’t use, whether it’s clothes you don’t wear, or that bottomless box of “just in case” items.
And since sitting in front of a TV screen further adds to your stress, make a different choice.
Instead of letting your mind drain in front of the TV, get up and go for a walk outside. Being around nature and getting exercise will boost your endorphins, and give you a newfound sense of energy.
Encourage your children to stay active, and don’t let them sit home and watch TV or play video games all day.
By taking a few steps to streamline your possessions, and spend time outdoors, you can reduce the stress and chaos in your home.
Give it a try, you just might be surprised at the result.
What are some ways you deal with stress in your home?
Have you found a solution to manage the clutter in your home that actually works?
Tell us your thoughts in the comments section below.