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In a few-ish days, I’m going to be announcing all the details for the 5th Annual Declutter Challenge. As I prepare the materials for the challenge, I’ve got clutter and mess on my brain.
I’m not a psychologist or a trained counselor, but I’ve had a lot of hands-on experience working with my organizing clients. I’ve noticed a real connection between how my clients feel about life in general and the state of their home. In my experience, there is a relationship between Depression and Your Messy House.
I know there is more going on with your mess than meets the eye. Maybe it is as simple as you’re too busy to keep your house clean. Though, maybe you have the time, but mental obstacles are blocking you.
Years before I worked with her, one client lost a child and began to keep everything (developed to a Level 3 Hoard). Unresolved trauma usually shows up somewhere, and it often shows up in how we maintain our homes. It doesn’t have to be as severe as hoarding tendencies for symptoms of depression to show up all over our homes, though sometimes the more extreme examples help illustrate the point. I’ve seen cases where moms have given their everything to family and/or work, and have stopped taking proper care of themselves and their personal spaces.
The most heart-wrenching thing for me to see is when people convince themselves they aren’t worth it – that they don’t deserve to live in a nice environment.
If you think about cleaning and organizing all the time, but have a hard time finding the energy to make any progress, depression might be getting in your way.
I’ve told my friends and family before, if you come to my home and it is a mess: I’m most likely in a funk.
This whole thing can be a really vicious cycle. When our homes are messy and cluttered, it is hard to feel good enough to change anything. When our homes are clean and decluttered, it is easier to feel better and then continue to care for our homes.
But, what if we feel STUCK with a messy home? How do we break the cycle? How do we get our fresh start??
(Step 1) If our depression is severe, we should talk to a licensed therapist. They can customize treatment to fit our circumstances.
(Next) Develop positive mantras that remind us that we are worth the effort to get things cleaned up. We deserve to feel good. We deserve a home that feels good. We are worth the effort.
(Then) Think of something WE CAN DO, no matter how small or inconsequential it may feel. Pick a task that you can achieve successfully from start to finish without stopping.
- Gather dirty dishes and bring to the sink.
- Make the bed.
- Pick up the trash in the room we’re in.
- Do a load of laundry (or put a clean one away).
- Pick up one piece of clutter and toss it or put it away.
As you begin to do a few small things, you’ll notice a miracle within yourself starts to happen. You feel better, and feeling better gives you a little more energy to pick another small thing. That momentum is a powerful force for good in your life!
{Once you’ve achieved a few small things, see if you can set a timer for 10 minutes and do more small things until it goes off. }
The biggest point I want to make is: if your house is messy, you may be depressed. And if you are dealing with depression, you are not alone. Do what you need to do to feel better, and your home will follow along.
When the declutter challenge comes up next month, modify the daily tasks to an amount you can successfully achieve, but continue to move on with the group. It is better to see continued success instead of perfection. Waiting for perfection will just get you stuck, and feeling stuck is not good for your depression!
We decide when to break the cycle – we take the action to fix things. Make a call to get professional help or start somewhere small, but start today to create the home you deserve. You deserve to live somewhere clean and uncluttered.
Really, you do.
So many people have changed their lives with our Annual Declutter Challenge. I think it can help you get un-stuck! Our Facebook group is a force in positive encouragement …
Don't forget your Declutter Printable Pack - it's more than just checklists!
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