Month: March 2013

The March/April 2013 edition of the Saturday Evening Post features an enlightening article on the link between clutter and depression.

Even with the start of spring, many people will have trouble breaking open their closets and going through their garages to get going on their spring cleaning. But sometimes the mess that seemingly won’t go away can be symptomatic of a deeper problem: depression.

"The fact is that previous generations simply didn’t have all the stuff we have today. They were never tempted by 24-hour shopping channels, blasted with emails about last-chance sales, or bombarded with catalogs and junk mail. Generations from baby boomers to millennials may have it all within reach, but most haven’t learned how to keep it in balance. Homes continue to grow fuller, despite our households growing smaller. "

The March/April 2013 issue of The Saturday Evening Post, features Angelica Huston on the cover, (coincidentally we wrote about Huston's thoughts about clutter in her Venice home in 2008). The End Clutter Now! Post piece examines the connection between clutter and depression; and provides insight on how to eliminate the clutter before it piles up. Post contributor Iyna Bort Caruso details the negative cycle of stress because of the mess and how it leads to an inability to dig out. Here are some tips to focus on getting rid of the clutter:

4 Spring Organizing Tips:

1. Enlist the help of a family member or friend who can be supportive, physically and emotionally, and help keep you on task.
2. Install organizations systems that are intuitive. Every item needs a home, and the home must suit the need.
3. Take decluttering in small steps. Working one room at a time or even a portion of a room at a time, will prevent you from becoming overwhelmed and tempted to call it quits.
4. When evaluating items that hold sentimental value, segregate the object from the memory. If you have Grandma’s china but don’t use it, consider keeping a teacup and saucer to display for that memory boost.

More tips can be found on Post's piece End Clutter Now! You can also read our related organizing piece on Angelica Huston.

What do you think are the links between clutter and depression? Tweet us at @johntrosko or leave a comment below.

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