Organizing Is Important to Your Health

#Disorganization can affect your mental and physical health, says Piedmont Healthcare. It may manifest as a symptom of attention deficit disorder (ADD), depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and exacerbate feelings of #stress, depression and anxiety. That’s why it’s important to celebrate National Get Organized Day this week and any other day of the year you can find the time to #declutter and #streamline your life. “An excessive amount of stress can actually lead to premature death,” Millennials in Motion points out. “Therefore, one could argue that staying organized can literally save one’s life.” #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Take Organizing One Day at a Time – Starting Today

You may not be anticipating National Get Organized Day with the enthusiasm you might for a national #holiday such as Memorial Day or Thanksgiving, says Infotek Consulting, but getting #organized can actually you feel less stressed, more productive and happier overall. Start by #decluttering and #organizing a single drawer, shelf or closet today as the start of a new, #clutter-free you. #Set aside the #junk you don’t need for a #donation to ClothingDonations.org, then schedule a time to move on to another space. “Take it day by day, one room (or office drawer) at a time, and watch as you become more stress-free, productive and happier.” #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Celebrate National Get Organized Day

April 26 is a special holiday for The Organizing Blog — National Get Organized Day. The annual observance invites people nationwide to take stock of their #stuff, #declutter, and otherwise #organize and #streamline their lives. #Organization can take many forms, Days of the Year points out; you may choose to organize a physical space such as a #closet, filing cabinet or kitchen drawer, or you can organize a virtual space such as your e-mail inbox or digital pictures. You can also celebrate by creating daily habits that improve your organization over time: Create a to-do list, weekly meal plan or a “drop zone” where you put new stuff entering the house to make life less chaotic. #NationalGetOrganizedDay

Re-Energizing for a Perfect Summer

No matter where you go, a perfect #summer should allow time for a little R&R. Take a whole day (or two) to do absolutely nothing alone or with family, suggests Swift Wellness. Go outside and take a hike. Lay in a hammock or deck chair and read a book. Revisit an old hobby or take the time to learn something new. Turn off your phone and social media feeds for a day. #Clean and #declutter the entire house — and #donate the #stuff that’s getting in the way of a calm and #clutter-free mind. “Taking a break can feel like you’re not doing enough and missing out. However, this is far from the truth. Time off is time to re-energize.” #PerfectSummer

Daylight Time Is Spring Cleaning Time

Daylight savings time — still observed in most states nationwide — begins again at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 5. The practice is rapidly declining in popularity, but most readers will temporarily lose an hour to the switch nonetheless.

The transition is increasingly associated with sleep deprivation and upticks in other dangers such car accidents, heart attacks and strokes. Daylight time apparently produces a mini-jet lag that can have subtle but marked consequence on the body and mind.

To reduce daylight time’s initial health impacts, Northwestern Medicine suggests adjusting one’s circadian rhythms by getting more natural morning light, exercising and going to bed an hour early in the week leading up to the change.

Even if you approach DST with little or no personal preparation, there are things you can do around the house to take advantage of the seasonal shift, Apartment Therapy says, and prepare for the longer nights of spring and summer.

First, of course, you’ll want to reset every clock. Then, take care of some of the seasonal chores that make your home safe and comfortable: Change the smoke detector batteries, reverse the ceiling fans to counterclockwise, and rotate or flip your mattresses and couch cushions.

This is also a great time to #sort and #declutter winter clothing. Chances are that those heavy coats and woolen sweaters are already falling into disuse, so make sure all of them are cleaned and stored, eliminating and #donating any that just didn’t make it into the rotation to ClothingDonations.org.

Outdoors, you’ll have an extra hour of light in the evening to #clean the gutters, #organize the garage, powerwash the deck or prepare your garden for #spring planting. Just be careful going up that ladder as your body slowly adjusts to the new time.

The mental health benefits of making your home #clean, #organized and #clutter-free are well-documented — and they may even outweigh the negative effects of losing an hour of sleep and adjusting to the change in light.

Until a proposal to make daylight time permanent becomes law, we’re stuck with it. So make the most of it by using it as a reminder to do the seasonal tasks you’ve been meaning to do. Time’s a-wastin’!