Live Life Happy

Who doesn’t want to be happy? I mean you don’t hear people often mutter that they quite enjoy being frustrated or annoyed or upset. Being happy is a nice thing to aspire to. As hard as it seems to pin down, this idea of being happy doesn’t have to be too difficult to reach. Happiness is a choice; it’s possible. And organization provides but one key to help you attain it!

Anything that makes you feel better generates happiness — working out, eating well, praying, keeping up friendships and of course, being organized. There is a calming affect on the brain when you know what you have and realize that you have enough. When you have what you need and can get to it easily and often, you are less stressed. Period.

Less stress generates happiness for sure.

When you are less stressed you feel better and you strive to do better. You will likely find more enjoyment in your daily tasks and responsibilities. And you’ll save time! The average person wastes 40 hours a year looking for things – bills, paperwork, the cap to the toothpaste – even space in a closet to hang a coat, or a spot on the counter to prepare a meal. 40 hours! That is a week of vacation and it’s like spending it looking for your car keys! Now that doesn’t sound too joyful, does it?

Being organized and being happy go hand in hand. They help each other and when you have both in your life there is almost nothing you can’t accomplish.

Here are some quick and easy things you can do to live organized and happy.

1. Start small. Once you make the very smart decision to get organized keep up that momentum and positive feeling by picking one small space to start. Don’t take on the whole house or even a whole room. It can be too daunting and therefore a deterrent. Pick one area that you are uncomfortable with and stay focused in that area until it feels like a space you are happy to be in.

2. Make the time. We all feel short on time and the irony of it all is that when things are in disorder and clutter fills your space, your perception of time is skewed. You think you have less of it than you really do. Carve out even a small amount of time each week (or each day) to work on that uncomfortable area. In no time, you’ll see a beautiful change. This will propel you to do more – and it’ll make you happier for sure.

3. Find a home. This is a very important, and basic tenet of getting organized. Everything must have a home. Clutter happens when things pile up and never make it to their rightful home. {And remember, in some cases, the “home” is the trash!} Everyone is happy when everything is in a home.

4. Tidy up – often. Once you have identified a home, it makes clean up easier. Every day you should tidy the areas of your house, keeping all flat surfaces clear and putting things in their home. The more you do it, the more second nature it will be. The easier it will be. And you’ll get a great sense of satisfaction from keeping things tidy. Easier and a pat on the back? That’s happiness to my ears!

5. Question what comes in. Don’t let into your space anything that doesn’t inform your life or the space in a positive way! You should know why you need a particular item, why you have it and where it’s going to go – before you take it into your space. New things make us happy. Unneeded, unused, or disliked gifts, hand-me-downs, or the like are nothing more than clutter. They will eventually weigh you down and wear you out, making you very unhappy.

6. Rest your weary bones. Sleep is integral to happiness! When you wake more rested, you are ready for the world and …just about anything it throws at you. And with this feeling that you can tackle anything, you usually do. Be sure to get a good night sleep. You body will be happy and your mind will, too!

We all have a choice to be well — to choose the right things to eat, to go to the gym or for a long walk, to stay connected with friends. We all have a choice to be organized, to choose what comes into our life and what goes out of our life. Happiness is the result of choosing well.

Every day is a new day. Everyday is a new opportunity to choose.

What will you choose today?

Francesca Verri is a professional organizer and the owner of Verri Organized. Learn more about living life light and happy at www.verriorganized.com/blog.

Photo by Katey