THE IMPORTANCE OF ORGANIZING FORGOTTEN AREAS IN YOUR HOME

LIFESTYLE

By: Christina Jarrett

@christinajarrett

We all love when our rooms are clean, clothes are put away, dishes and laundry are all caught up but with our busy lives we can neglect many areas in our home can change your life when they get attended to. Growing up my parents instilled in me the importance of taking care of your things and with that I gained the mindset that there can always be something to be organized or cleaned. We can get so caught up in a routine of the usual tasks, that we often lose focus of the overall state of our home. I want to highlight some of the key areas in our homes that often get left untouched and the benefits of cleansing these areas.

Now more than ever it is in our best interest for our mental health to control the areas we can and use our surroundings to provide us with a sense of peace. As we step into what feels like maybe the 100th day of quarantine, I can guarantee that you have walked to your fridge quite a few times. Whether you're grabbing your favorite snack to pair with your new Netflix show to binge or pulling out ingredients to try that new recipe that always seemed to take up too much time to make until now, I'm guessing at this point your fridge could use some attention. Not only is it good to clean out your fridge for the sake of ridding germs, but it will also clear your head and give you a sense of calmness. My go-to routine when resetting my fridge is as follows:

1. Pull out everything from the fridge and set it out on your counter.

2. Go through and check expirations and toss out anything that has no use and is cluttering your fridge.

3. Pull out the shelving and either wash or spray down each shelf and the inside of your fridge.

4. When placing items back, organize items by categories (each shelf/drawer should be its own category)Align items up neatly and face labels to the front.

You can apply these same steps, to organize your freezer, and pantry.

Cleaning and organizing goes past the satisfaction of how your home looks it can also cut down the time it takes to get ready. However your bathroom is set up, whether its merchandising your skincare routine on your bathroom counter to accent your bathroom decor or placing items that are more frequently used towards the front of your bathroom cabinets, drawers this will save you time and allow you to start your day on a calm, fresh note. Saving time in your morning doesn't have to stop at your skin-care routine it also starts with your closet as well. I want to equip you with some tools to cut down choosing your outfit for the day. In order to have a clear perspective of my options, I like to go through and organize my clothes first by tops and bottoms, and then by color. For the tops each color section gets organized by sleeve length. I also like to use the same colored hangers throughout my closet. You can get creative with your hangers and add a pop of color or stay neutral with black or white but this trick of consistency makes a difference and allows your closet to become less noise

Evaluating and choosing areas in your home that need more attention will help with your overall health. You will change the whole energy of your home as you organize your space. I like to get in a mindset and mood as I clean, which is why I created rituals for myself that I consistently follow as I clean. Some of my favorite cleaning rituals include:

• Play high frequency music to boost your mood.

• Light a candle with a calming scent.

• Open your windows to allow fresh air to come in, and the cleaning chemical fumes to flow out.

• Call a friend to catch up, this distracts me from the fact that I'm even cleaning!

I tend to get in a zone when I begin a cleansing or organizational project, which alleviates stress for me and allows me to have a clear mind when I am at home.

Staying consistent with cleansing areas that tend to be neglected in your home will elevate your living condition and is a great habit to take with you throughout your life. If you have any questions or want any additional advice on ways to stay organized, I'd love to hear from you and help you out! To reach me you can always message my personal Instagram account or the women within account.