Tip Tuesday – Outer Order, Inner Calm

I have recently been listening to the wonderful Happier podcast by Gretchen Rubin (and her sister Elizabeth Craft). Rubin is a huge believer in the idea that “Outer Order = Inner Calm,” and this is a constant theme that runs through many of her podcast episodes. The way I explain this concept to my clients is: “The way things LOOK often affects the way things ARE.” For example, drawers and closets all in a jumble make it nearly impossible to quickly choose an outfit and efficiently get dressed in the morning. If every item of clothing is folded, hung, and grouped your closet will look much better, but your daily routine will also FUNCTION much better.

Or take the classic example of an overflowing, messy desk. Organizing your papers, office supplies, and to-do tasks don’t only make your space look better. It makes the tasks at hand flow more easily and makes the time you spend more productive.

The same phenomenon plays out in the kitchen too. Spend some time grouping like with like and you will be rewarded with many benefits! You will be able to shop more effectively, cook at home more consistently, and eat more healthily.
Creating order in any area of the home always seems to result in greater peace of mind. Do you find this to be the case for you too? Let us know in the comments!