Our surroundings speak volumes about the state of our psyche, and often when we're at our worst, if we organize our belongings, we can see how, as if by magic, our mental issues unravel, or at least we gain clarity to see and feel better.

Organizing and getting rid of what's no longer useful has a profound impact on well-being. It's not an invention; it's almost science. It's a psychological process full of meaning.

The truth is that for most people, tidying up brings satisfaction. Perhaps it's an activity that can be dizzying if the mess is huge, but the result is usually very gratifying. First, it reduces stress and anxiety because clutter acts as a constant visual reminder of "incomplete and unfinished tasks." This is added stress for the brain because it perceives it as sensory overload and cognitive load, which keeps cortisol levels high. It also makes it difficult to concentrate and be productive because we're constantly there, not solving the problem, but instead thinking about the chaos it creates.

That's why, as we organize, little by little, that burden diminishes and gives way to joy. In other words, order is perceived as a refuge of calm, especially because the home is still a space we can control, where we have the autonomy to decide what to keep and discard, and how to keep everything organized.

This simple fact offers us a sense of empowerment, restoring what we sometimes forget: we have control over our own lives, especially our immediate surroundings, which depend on us. On a psychological level, this combats feelings of helplessness and improves our mood, allowing us to be productive and gain efficiency and creativity.

It's an advantage, and it gives us immediate relief, but sometimes it's hard to get going, especially when it's time to throw things away because emotional attachment and the question of whether it will be needed in the future can take over. That's when we err on the side of keeping things "just in case," and in this accumulation of everything, order almost always falters.

Now, another issue is what they call "perfection paralysis," that is, the pressure we feel to strive for an ideal order, as perfect as the one seen in those magazines that show houses where no real people seem to live. This idea of not achieving it can be overwhelming for some people, and it leads to stalling. But that's a different topic.

The important thing is to break the inertia and start organizing our surroundings so we can move on with life. It may seem exaggerated, but it’s related. It's more than just housecleaning, and it's demonstrated to improve mood, reduce conflict, motivate, and satisfy. Mental clarity is a metaphor, but it’s a powerful exercise in self-knowledge and emotional liberation capable of reducing stress and increasing productivity. Highly recommended.

Translated by Amilkal Labañino / CubaSí Translation Staff