With so many years spent in other people’s homes I’ve seen stress, overwhelm and exhaustion manifest in many ways. The consistent through-line is that too much clutter in a home directly leads to overstimulation for the people who live in it. The physical clutter and the ways people avoid it spill over into our mental state.

It’s been scientifically proven that cluttered spaces increase cortisol, aka stress. Imagine what your house looks like after a very busy week of work, social engagements and extra curricular activities. I can pretty much guarantee that it is not as neat and tidy as you would prefer by Friday afternoon. (If it is, call me and tell me your tips!) 

If you’ve been treating organization as a practice versus a one time project, then you can do a sweep to tidy up and put things back where they belong with relative ease (hello dopamine hit). You have committed to the daily process of picking up and editing things out as new things come in. You’re fine tuned to your home’s baseline and can sense when things are off balance. Yay you!

Conversely, if you find your home feeling overwhelming, chaotic and unsettled, it may be time to start thinking about how to do things in a new way as we embark on a new year. Paralysis in your space will occur when things don’t have a designated home and our consumption rate is bigger than our capacity – both mentally and physically. 

The daily stress of not being able to find your glasses, your keys or the kids’ water bottles will take a toll on your energy and emotional well-being.  

This is your reminder, as we close out 2024, that the more you can detach from things that don’t add value to your life, the calmer, the freer and the lighter you’ll feel.

I have been reflecting on the year and finding myself in a space of deep gratitude. The team and I  have been able to help many individuals and families find equilibrium in their home, and reclaim pieces of their lives that they felt were lost. 

At the start of a project I often have my client envision the future self they are stepping into. This is an exercise I will personally be doing as I reflect this month and prepare for January. I urge you to do the same and would love to connect on Instagram or in my new Make Space Community.