Spring Comes to the Rescue of Winter Depression and Clutter

   
Here's an excerpt from an article published  in the Saturday Evening Post on March 5, 2013.  An interesting insight into the downward spiral of winter, depression, and clutter. Yay for Spring!!

"Some people wear their emotions on their sleeve. Others manifest it in the nest: The state of their homes reflects their state of mind. When depression sets in, the clutter can pile up.

Charles Miles can relate. He owns a three-bedroom Colonial-style home in Bogota, New Jersey, but when he’s feeling blue, routine maintenance is hard to keep up. 'There are dishes in the sink. Newspapers on the floor. Instead of putting things away, I leave them where they are. I think, "What’s the point?" I’m just not motivated. It’s the demon I fight all the time.'

Healthcare professionals know all too well the connection between clutter and depression. The abilities you need to keep a home clean and in relative order go by the wayside with depression. People who lose their drive find it hard to handle basic housekeeping and organizational tasks. 'A systematic pattern of home neglect is really a form of self-neglect,' says Dr. Holly Parker, a practicing psychologist and faculty member of Harvard University. 'People with depression often have low energy, almost like taking gas out of the tank of a car. They lose the motivation to do things they used to love to do. If they give up hobbies, they definitely won’t do housework.' ...

Spring is an ideal time to start getting clutter under control. For many, seasons can have a powerful affect on their moods. In the spring, the days are longer, flowers start blooming, people are out and about. Those who struggle during the short, dark days of winter perk up in the spring. 'It’s an uplifting time,' Parker says. 'You can capitalize on that time of year by getting more things done and capitalize on that boost of mood that comes with longer days.'

Solving clutter problems is a two-step process that takes planning. The first part is getting to the root of the problem, and a number of treatments can help such as therapy, medication, and doing regular exercise.

The second part is putting a system in place. ... Enlisting a friend or family member in the organizational process can give the chronically disorganized the cheerleading morale they need to keep going. A home that looks good helps us feel good.

And New Jersey homeowner Charles Miles can relate to that, too. When his outlook brightens, tackling the clutter is job number one. His reward for a home organizational makeover is a sense of accomplishment and renewed self-confidence. 'I feel great,' says Miles. 'I’m like, "Let’s invite the neighbors over for dinner!"’”

More on decluttering and depression:
10 Types of Emotional Clutter
Understanding the ADD Mindset
9 Ways to Enhance Your Health by Being Organized
Three Steps to Decluttering (print and ebooks)
Decluttering Any Room in 3 Weeks
Three Steps to Decluttering (Kindle)