There’s no denying the aesthetics of organizing are pleasing, but “pretty” spaces are just a pleasant by-product of getting organized.  The real benefit of organizing is making life EASIER.

And I don’t just mean easier to find your keys in the morning, although that is nice.  I mean easier because you experience less stress and frustration, save time and money, and improve your mental well-being.

Yes, organizing really does all that!  Let’s dive into how.

Being Organized Saves Time

Life is busy, and time is our most valuable commodity.  Being organized allows you to make the most of your time by getting things done in as few steps as possible.

When you know what you have and where to find it, you don’t waste time looking for things. When you’re on top of what’s coming up in your day, week or month, you can prepare and group similar tasks together to get things done more efficiently.

You may think a few minutes here and there isn’t a big deal, but according to a study available from the National Association of Professional Organizers website, 72% of American women spend between 5 and 20 minutes a day looking for misplaced items.  At 5 minutes a day, that’s over 30 hours a year and at 20 minutes a day, its over 5 days a year, just spent looking for things!

Being Organized Reduces Frustration

Being organized also allows you to get things done with as little frustration as possible.  When everything has a home, you don’t get frustrated searching for things you know you have but can’t find.

You don’t struggle to reach what you need buried under an unsteady pile of other things.  You also don’t worry the pile will fall over and need to be cleaned up, or worse, break something or injure you.

When everything is in its place you don’t get flustered leaving the house because you can’t find your keys, work pass or your child’s soccer shoes.  And when your days are mapped out and scheduled, you don’t miss deadlines, appointments or other important events.

Being Organized Saves Money

In addition to avoiding the frustration, being organized also saves fees that many places charge for missed appointments, deadlines and/or cancellations.  Not to mention late fees for overdue bills or rental items.

When you can easily see what you have, you don’t spend money purchasing duplicates of items you forgot you had or couldn’t find.  You also save money by reducing the amount of waste from expired food or products you forgot about.

Being Organized Improves Mental Health

Most significantly, being organized improves your mental health.  Clutter has a negative impact on mental well-being, particularly among women.

By creating excessive visual stimuli that never allow our brains to rest, disorganization and clutter are constant drains on our cognitive resources.  It’s like a never-ending signal to your brain that your work is never done.

Not surprisingly, this increases stress and anxiety levels and impacts sleep, focus, productivity, and the ability to relax.  All of which leads to exhaustion, guilt, and feeling overwhelmed.

The good news is, removing the clutter and disorganization improves your mental well being.  Even better, you almost always feel better right away.

Being Organized Improves Productivity

When you’re not distracted by everything around you, you can focus and get things done faster.  When you’re not weighed down by feelings of overwhelm and exhaustion, your mind is sharper and completing tasks is easier.

Organizing Skills Are Life Skills

At it’s heart, organizing is about learning how to approach a task, break it down, prioritize, plan, manage your time and get things done as efficiently as possible

These are life skills that apply far beyond a drawer, cupboard or closet.  You use them to tackle every task and project in life from scheduling your days and approaching work tasks to running your family and household.

Organization Makes Life Easier

I’m not saying being organized means you remove all stress and frustration from your life, become rich and gain an abundance of free time.  I wish!

I’m saying being organized reduces the amount of unnecessary stress and frustration you experience.  It saves you some money.  And it makes doing all the things you have to do faster and easier.

When you edit out the unnecessary things in your life and use systems designed around you, you create an environment you can thrive in.  Every day you have more time, energy and space, physically and mentally, for what really matters to you.

Conclusion

Life is challenging enough without the additional obstacles created by clutter and disorganization. Getting organized is an effective way to reduce stress and anxiety, save time and money, and make your days easier.  Oh, and it looks pretty too! 😉

What’s your favourite benefit of organizing?  Let me know in the comments below.  If you’re inspired to get organized, click here for tips that make the decluttering process easier.

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Happy organizing!