Organizing can improve so many aspects of your life, including helping you to live a healthier lifestyle. Here are just six examples:

1. Being organized reduces stress. If you regularly spend your time rummaging through clutter to find things, procrastinating, attempting to locate something in your filing system, trying to find that bill that needs to be paid and so on, your stress level is probably pretty high, not to mention your blood pressure. When you’re organized, you give your mind and your body the best chance to be relaxed and stress-free.

2. Being organized gives you time to eat right. If you think you don’t have time to eat at least three nutritious meals every day, and you’re instead constantly eating fast food and other convenience meals, you’re taking a big risk with your health. When you’re organized, you will have the time you need to eat well-balanced, home-cooked, healthy meals.

3. Being organized gives you time to exercise. In order to be at optimum health, most people need to exercise. When you’re organized, you can easily build exercise into your daily routine. 

4. Being organized reduces accidents. When your home or office is disorganized, you’re at a much higher risk for an unexpected fall (from something lying around like a toy), a fire (from piles of papers and magazines), someone getting clobbered (because when the closet is opened, the clutter often comes crashing down), etc. When you’re organized, your home and office are safer and more pleasant places to be.

5. Being organized allows you to breathe better. When your home or office is cluttered, very often that generally means it also needs cleaning. It’s very difficult to clean when there’s clutter everywhere. According to the American Lung Association, one of the most effective ways to control asthma and allergy triggers is to reduce the dust in your indoor environments. When you’re organized, you can quickly and easily dust and vacuum without obstacles.

6. Being organized can make you and others happier. When you’re disorganized, it not only affects you, but it also can adversely affect the people around you--like your family, friends and co-workers. For instance, perhaps your daughter is always late for cheerleading practice because you can’t get your schedule under control. Maybe your spouse (wife or husband) can never find a clean shirt because the laundry is piled to the ceiling. Perhaps your boss is mad at you because you can’t find that important contract on your desk. These types of problems regularly cause tension and sometimes very big problems. When you’re organized, you and the people around you can spend less time being frustrated, and more time being productive and happier.

Berny Unruh is the Family and Community Wellness Agent for the Cottonwood Extension District. She can be reached at 785-628-9430 or at bunruh@ksu.edu.