Heat waves and clutter are allies when it comes to punishing us with unbearable living conditions in especially hot summers like this one.
The news is filled with reports of dangerously high temperatures across the country and beyond, and here in Connecticut we’re sweating our way through the heat and humidity day after sweltering day.
Guess what makes it worse in your home, the place that should be your sanctuary?
Clutter.
Folks in the home organizing solutions industry – we’re thinking of smartly designed closets – have long known about the “toaster effect” of clutter, and so have those who offer beat-the-heat solutions like air conditioning.
“Just as the sun’s heat is absorbed by furnishings near windows, excess clutter in rooms does the same thing,” says a blog post on the website of Organized Interiors, a Canadian company that designs and builds custom storage solutions.
“Darker coloured clutter (including clothing piles and dark storage containers) left in direct sunlight will absorb and transfer more heat. Uncluttered rooms allow air to circulate more freely through a home,” the blog post explains.
“Clutter absorbs heat and restricts airflow, making any room feel hot and stagnant,” affirms a blog on sensible cooling tips posted by DelMar Fans & Lighting.
So, amid this sizzling summer, we’re reminded of yet another way clutter diminishes enjoyment of our homes and, in a larger sense, constricts our ability to attain the rewarding lifestyle we envision.
The answer is simple, you might say: air conditioning.
That, however, is another case of addressing the symptom, not the underlying affliction, similar to “stuffing things into 10-gallon storage bins and then ‘hiding’ them in the attic, basement, or little-used living spaces,” as I discussed in my last blog post.
Air conditioning and fans reduce the temperature in your living spaces but they don’t mitigate the oppressiveness of the clutter.
Our minds know that, even if subconsciously. When the sun is scorching outside, I’m guessing you’ll still feel hot in a living room filled with clutter even if the thermostat says it’s a cool 68 degrees.
As noted above, clutter itself generates heat, and the stress caused by living with it adds what I’ll call mental heat as your senses are constantly forced to consider and confront the state of untidiness all around.
So how about we be cool instead?
That’s where the KonMari Method of tidying and decluttering comes in.
KonMari involves a category-by-category journey in which you confront and assess the true value of everything spilling out of your closets, kitchen cabinets, bathroom drawers, and everywhere else in the house.
Whatever “sparks joy” for the life and lifestyle you aspire to have – and that’s our inspiration – gets to stay and reside neatly in its designated “home” within the house.
Whatever you have that isn’t essential gets thanked for its service and sent on its way.
KonMari tidying and decluttering provides the key to transforming your living spaces into a haven – one that remains cool all summer long.
Beyond the science of lowering the temperature by clearing away clutter, the big-picture benefits are transforming, as I explain in a blog post on why we all need to make sure the place we call home has sanctuary status:
- A clutter-free house gives you a sense of calm and being in control
- You suddenly have time, energy, and interest in improving other parts of your life like your health and personal relationships
- The positive feelings that result from decluttering offer a sense of positivity and potential
- All of the above enhances your overall well-being
The bottom line? It’s always the right season to comprehensively declutter, and with the high heat of summer melting all of us, the most important time to begin a tidying journey may be right now!
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Those seeking professional help with decluttering should feel free to email me at [email protected] or call (203) 772-8883 to discuss your situation—or visit my Packages & Rates page.
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