Latest news with #clutter
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
A therapist told me this home organization hack can 'lower your mental load.' I tried it and here's why you should, too
I grew up with a mom who I would describe as the world's most organized person. My mom, a retired school principal and self-proclaimed neat freak, kept our home meticulously organized. Every gizmo and gadget has its place in my parents' home, a rule that, until recently, I adopted in my own space. Despite my best efforts, my home is more disorganized than I would like to admit. I live in a small apartment and own a lot of stuff (a side effect of the job, you know?), which means it can easily become cluttered. The more disorganized my space, the more stressed out I become. "Clutter is emotional and when our homes feel chaotic, our brains absorb that stress," Anita Yokota, a licensed therapist and interior designer, tells Yahoo Canada. "Research has shown that disorganized spaces can increase cortisol, the body's main stress hormone, and drain our ability to focus or make decisions. That's why labelling your pantry or tidying a drawer can feel like a breath of fresh air... It's actually lowering your mental load." When my space becomes overly cluttered and messy, it can feel overwhelming. Not only is a disorganized space stressful to live and work in, but for some, it can heighten feelings of depression and anxiety. That's why, for me, it's essential to stay on top of my cleaning routine. "There's fascinating research that supports what I call the 'emotional blueprint' of space," Yokota says. "Studies show that having control over your environment (even something as small as deciding where things go or how to label them) can help reduce anxiety and improve emotional regulation. So yes, there's science behind it, but more importantly, there's a deep emotional benefit that people feel almost immediately." Yokota, the author of Home Therapy, says that organizing your space is "one of the fastest ways to shift how you feel in your home." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anita Yokota (@anitayokota) "It boosts productivity by cutting down on all the tiny decisions that drain your energy," she says. Organizing your space "creates calm," Yokota tells Yahoo Canada. "Our brains are constantly scanning our environment, and when there's visual clutter, it sends a low-level signal that something's off. When your space is organized, it tells your body that you're safe and you can relax." If you're struggling with anxiety or feeling overwhelmed, Yokota recommends organizing and using devices like a label maker to create structure in your space. "For busy parents, clear labels mean fewer questions, less decision-making, and more independence for everyone in the house. And for anyone navigating anxiety, even just knowing where things go can create a sense of control in a world that often feels unpredictable." Whether you're organizing your junk drawer, kitchen pantry or filing cabinet, using a label maker is an easy way to create structure, no matter how small it may made-in-Canada cleaning brands to clean your bathroom, laundry room, kitchen & more This made-in-Canada cleaning brand is eco-friendly, affordable and available on Amazon The best robot vacuums and mops we've tested in 2025 In my home, I use a label maker to organize my large storage bins, so I know exactly where items like Christmas decorations, winter boots, gift wrapping paper, and extra cords are stored. Yokota recommends using a label maker for spaces like your kitchen, where you can use it for best-before dates and labelling freezer leftovers, as well as in your storage room. If you live with a messy partner or small children, a label maker can be particularly handy. To help keep the clutter at bay, I've rounded up five items that reviewers swear by for a clean, mess-free home. I've included Yokota's label maker of choice — the Brother P-touch PT-N10 Personal Handheld Label Maker Machine — plus other gadgets that my fellow clean freaks may find useful. "Labelling and organizing might seem small, but they create structure and our brains crave structure," Yokota tells Yahoo Canada. "For busy parents, clear labels mean fewer questions, less decision-making, and more independence for everyone in the house. And for anyone navigating anxiety, even just knowing where things go can create a sense of control in a world that often feels unpredictable." The Brother P-touch PT-N10 Label Maker is easy to use (even for little ones) and can quickly create custom, colourful labels for anything and everything in your home. The device offers a large selection of fonts and symbols and has a LCD screen so that you can preview labels before pressing print. If your kitchen drawers look like a bomb went off, this 9-in-1 drawer organizer could be your new favourite thing. The set includes three foil, plastic, and wax dispensers with cutters, as well as specific storage spaces designed for different-sized plastic bags. It also comes with an additional storage box for bits and bobs like elastic bands, strings, paper clips and twist ties. If the sight of one more dangling cord is enough to send you over the edge, you might want to pick up a pack of these cord covers. The large cord hiders are designed to conceal cables such as HDMI cables, Ethernet cables, optical cables, and USB cables. Importantly, it has also passed a plastics flammability test, ensuring it's safe for your space. This two-tier organizer is designed for your bathroom, but you can use it anywhere you need a little structure, such as your pantry, laundry room, or makeup corner. Stacked in two layers, the top drawer can support up to 15 lbs and the overall unit measures just 11.8" L x 7.5" W x 10" H, so it can easily fit under your sink or in tight spaces. Piles of shoes are the absolute worst. You can avoid the chaos with these clear, stackable boxes. Each box features a magnetic door and the boxes easily connect, so you don't have to worry about them wobbling and falling over.
Independent Singapore
28-05-2025
- General
- Independent Singapore
‘It's like their storage unit' — Woman asks what can be done about neighbour who clutters the entrance corridor of their HDB unit
SINGAPORE: Fed up with her neighbour's clutter, a woman took to social media to ask how she can deal with the problem, adding that she's also concerned with making sure that her family stays safe, especially in an emergency. 'How to handle this kind of neighbour?' asked 岑燕飛 in a May 28 (Wednesday) post on the 岑燕飛 Complaint Singapore Facebook page. Screenshot She added that the neighbors clutter their entrance corridor to the point of making it difficult to go in and out every day. The post author also claimed that the neighbour stores items inside their electric meter drawer, which could be dangerous. Moreover, she added that there are slippers and dirty socks 'spreading everywhere.' She also featured photos of the clutter on her TikTok account. 岑燕飛 explained in her post that before she and her family moved in, the neighbours used the corridor as their 'private storage room' and when they first saw it they were shocked. At the time, however, the neighbour promised to clean up everything before 岑燕飛 and her family moved in, but instead of doing so, they simply made excuses, and only half of the clutter was cleared up. Three weeks after they had gotten the key to the unit from HDB, the neighbour's clutter was still there. 'We can't keep waiting for them… as we also need a place to stay,' she wrote, adding that she and her family had thought the neighbours would clear the rest of their items out once they moved in, as 'normal people will do if they know how to respect their neighbours.' And while 岑燕飛 's husband tried to communicate with the neighbour's son to ask them to clear their clutter, even more stuff accumulated, including a washing machine. As for the post author, she only keeps a broom outside her main door. However, her neighbour moved the broom to make way for their own items, doing so in such a noisy manner late at night. The post author wondered what would happen if an accident should occur, how she, her husband, and their three young children would be able to get out quickly. The Independent Singapore reached out to 岑燕飛 , who told us that she has since heard from the Town Council and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF). An officer from the Town Council is scheduled to come over on Thursday (May 29) to hand over a notice to the neighbour informing them they need to remove the items within seven days. 'Every day, I must face this kind of neighbor. It is really very stressful as I have kids around me. I just worry that if any accident happens, I won't even be able to escape, nor save my kids.' She added that she had thought many times before reporting her neighbours, out of respect and the desire to maintain good relationships with them. However, due to their actions, she told TISG, 'I have no choice.' /TISG Read also: Elderly karung guni clutters corridor in Potong Pasir HDB but neighbour worries about fire hazards —who should give way?
Washington Post
27-05-2025
- General
- Washington Post
How to reduce visual clutter for a calmer, more functional home
Much is made of clutter: common sources of clutter, the effects of all that stuff on how we live our lives, the importance of reducing clutter, how to stop clutter before it starts. Then there are the seemingly endless methods, techniques and approaches to dealing with clutter — the KonMaris, the poop rule. (The what? The poop rule, please read about it here!)
Forbes
23-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
How Clutter Causes Overspending And What To Do About It
Clutter leads to overspending. You're not overspending because of your budget, you're overspending because of your clutter. Look around, all the stuff used to be money. Clutter isn't just a home organization problem; it is a financial issue that overwhelms families trying to stick to a budget. Disorganization leads to overspending. Buying a duplicate with 2-day shipping is easier when you can't find something, but it perpetuates the problem. Decision fatigue is real, and a cluttered home means spending more money on dining out, takeout, and convenience purchases. Bottom line, clutter is the source of overspending. You'll never need to organize something you did not buy. Removing things from your home and reducing what comes in work together to create more organization and save money. Decluttering feels lighter and freer. It shifts your spending habits to not just buying less but a desire to own less too. Here are three habits that will have an immediate impact on your budget and organize your home at the same time. Adopt a 'use what you have' mentality. This is especially helpful with consumable items. Cook only from your existing inventory. Look up ingredient substitutions, you will find one. Observe how in as little as a week, the fridge, freezer, and pantry become emptier and easier to organize by using up inventory. And just when you think there are no more meals in the house, try again. Get creative and you'll find another one. If you find yourself buying a specific item often or shopping in a certain store or website, resolve to not buy for at least six months. Use your bank's online tools to review your purchases and see the potential savings by category and by store. Delete shopping apps from your phone. Disconnect your credit card from websites. And tell a friend who can be your accountability partner when you're tempted to shop. Let's normalize believing we do not have to own everything, and it does not have to be new to us. The next time you consider buying, ask yourself the following questions. Let buying be your last resort. Gaining control of your home and your budget is freeing. It eliminates the guilt you feel about rebuying things you know you already own. It's easy to feel embarrassed and even ashamed about your financial situation and the state of your home. But you can gain confidence in how you spend and save your money by adopting these habits. Not to mention, the organized and peaceful home it creates. Remember, when you reduce the volume, spaces have a way of organizing themselves. Your home is living space, not storage space. View it as a representation of your financial decisions. Not just overspending, but what you can do differently going forward to own less and live more.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
Do You Struggle With "Clutter Creep"? Here's How to Stop It From Taking Over Your Home
Clutter creep is the slow, often unnoticed buildup of items in a home. Clutter can impact mental well-being by increasing stress and cortisol levels. Experts recommend small, consistent habits to prevent clutter from creeping back in.A few months ago, you proudly nixed a ton of excess clutter in your home and happily basked in the joy of tidy surfaces. But today, as your eyes shift around your space, you realize you're somehow surrounded by a muddled mess again. What gives? You've probably got a case of clutter creep, an ubiquitous conundrum that affects even those with the best intentions. 'Accumulating clutter is much more common than we may realize—about 54% of Americans feel overwhelmed by the amount of clutter they have," says Alicia Barker, president of Organizers Direct Industries. "And 78% find it too complicated to deal with, which ironically leads to more accumulation of clutter." We're here with expert-backed advice to help you break free from the clutter creep cycle—and reclaim a calm, clear space that feels good to live Barker, president of Organizers Direct Industries, a leading provider of custom home organization systems Jessica Litman, a professional organizer and the founder of The Organized Mama, a home organization brand and blog that offers practical tips for busy families Anita Yokota, a licensed therapist and interior designer who specializes in mental health–oriented designRelated: 8 Decluttering Rules I Swear By as Someone Who Writes About Organizing for a Living Clutter creep is a slow accumulation of clutter over time that sort of sneaks up on you. One day your home is tidy, and the next you've got rogue piles and littered surfaces working against your #organizationgoals. 'It's a slow, almost invisible buildup of stuff that happens when we're not paying attention,' says Anita Yokota, a licensed therapist and interior designer. 'It's not the obvious piles but rather the drawer that's suddenly overflowing, the bathroom shelf with products you forgot you had, or the stack of Amazon boxes in the corner.' This sort of slow-growing clutter is quiet and unassuming because it builds over time, making it easy to miss until one day you realize your space has a new sort of heaviness to it. Yokota adds that, along with making it harder to find items, science has found a correlation between clutter and our mental well-being. 'There's research showing that clutter can actually raise cortisol levels, especially in women. In other words, it has a physiological effect,' she says. 'When we're surrounded by visual chaos, it becomes harder to relax and feel grounded. Our nervous systems are always taking cues from our environment, and clutter sends the signal that something's unfinished or out of control.' So, essentially, clutter = stress! Piles on chairs, surfaces, and corners—and having a tricking time finding items or figuring out where they go—are all obvious signs of clutter creep. Here are some subtler indications you're dealing with the issue: You keep 'reorganizing' the same spaces instead of clearing them out. You buy storage containers to manage clutter instead of reducing it. You feel slightly stressed or unsettled at home, even when it looks tidy. You scramble to tidy up when guests come over because things don't have a place. You don't has as much flat surface space as you used to because items are taking over tops of counters, bookcases, and tables. You struggle to enjoy your decor because it's overwhelmed by a sense of 'too much stuff.' If excess clutter is keeping you from living your best life, it's officially time to make a change. These expert tips curb clutter creep at a fundamental level to prevent those piles from sneaking up on you time and again. Start by writing down all the piles you see in your home. This may feel overwhelming, but identifying clutter zones puts you in control. 'Write down every pile you want to tackle,' says Jessica Litman, professional organizer and founder of The Organized Mama. 'Once you see the list, it won't be so overwhelming because you will have all your projects on paper. Then you can take action.' You don't have to address every single clutter zone on your list in a day. Instead, work in short bursts. Maybe you give yourself the length of your favorite podcast, a chapter of your book, or simply set a timer for 20 minutes. Barker says, 'Once the timer goes off, you can stop there or keep going if you're in the zone.' Ever noticed how much energy it takes to declutter? While it can be physically laborious, it's also mentally draining due to all the decision-making you have to do. 'Instead of deciding on the spot whether to keep or toss something, place it in a 'holding box' and let it sit for 24 to 48 hours,' Yokota says. 'This gives you a chance to step back and ask: Do I really use this? Does this still serve me? That short pause can help break the cycle of impulsive decision-making and build a more mindful relationship with your belongings.' After a day or two, sort through the holding box. You might be surprised at how easily the decisions come once the items sit for a bit. The concept of daily micro-decluttering is the counter-answer to how clutter creep happens in the first place (in small doses that are difficult to notice until piles accrue). "Spend five minutes every day removing clutter quickly, like those things you know can go in the recycling or garbage," Litman says. 'This quick change to your daily habits can easily prevent clutter from piling up.' This one is big for setting yourself up for success: Take the time to give everything in your home a designated spot. 'You don't have to find all the items and put them there, but give everything a spot with a label,' Litman says. 'Then, as you find things, add them to that spot.' This also helps you visualize when you've accumulated too much. If the item's 'home' starts overflowing, that's a sign you need to edit. When the urge to buy something new hits, don't give in to the desire so quickly. Instead, take a pause. 'You're likely chasing a dopamine hit and not something you truly need,' Yokota explains. 'Step outside. Drink water. Organize a drawer. Redirecting that impulse can train your brain to find satisfaction in presence, not purchase.' Clutter creep doesn't have to win. With just a few consistent habits, you can take back your space—and your peace of mind. Read the original article on Real Simple
