When I was asked to write for the Ease Up blog, I immediately felt optimistic and hopeful, and a bit nervous as well. There is so much to discuss when it comes to organizing and living with more ease, but will people find what I have to say useful? Interesting? Worth their time and effort?
What is interesting about my reaction is that similar feelings surface when we think about organizing our belongings and our life. We feel excited about the change, hopeful about the ease it will bring, and perhaps a bit fearful that it will be too hard to do and keep up.
As someone who has been interested in the psychological aspects of organizing for some time, this seems like a good place to start and I’m honoured to share my thoughts here.
When we think about ‘being organized” perhaps what comes to mind is the notion that everything will be in its place, looking perfect, just like in the magazines. This can surely happen (especially with the help of professional organizers!), however, I think what we’re really looking for is a sense of connection – to our things, to our choices, and to our lives.
Yes, we have to do something to get organized (make a call, hire professionals, release items, etc.), however, most impactful is how we feel throughout the process.
According to researchers Sandra Sigmon and Stacy Whitcomb, (link to abstract) there is a powerful correlation between how we relate to our home and how we relate to the world outside. The more “at home” and “in charge” you feel in your home, the more you will feel “comfortable” and “in control” outside of it. The decisions and actions undertaken in our “psychological home” have immediate and lasting effects outside of the home as well.
In another study, researchers Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Eugene Rochberg-Halton (link to abstract) found that people who described home as “warm and welcoming” were more likely to be connected and thriving in the larger community, while people who described their home as “disorderly and cold” were less connected to others.
So much of the organizational process is about uncovering how we feel about our “home” and how we extend those feelings outwards. In our increasingly fast-paced, high stressed 24-7 world, taking action that makes us feel more in control, connected and at ease, seems like a great way to move forward.
Please email us with your comments or suggestions – we would love to hear from you!
About the Author
Having caught the organizational bug early on trying to “balance” things out as an elite gymnast, Jessica Tudos brings diverse skills and experiences to her professional organizing. Drawing from her global work as an experiential educator, author, and motivational speaker, Jessica is on a mission to empower people to lead healthy, creative and organized lives. jessica@easeup.ca