Make Small Changes to Simplify Your Home and Schedule to Improve Your Mental Health

By Jolene Nannette

Life is busy, and the clutter in our homes and the chaos in our schedules significantly impact our mental well-being. By simplifying both your living environment and your daily routine, you can create a more calming atmosphere that will promote mental clarity and emotional peace. Making small changes to your home and your schedule can help bring more calm to your life.

Declutter Your Space

A cluttered home can lead to a cluttered mind. It may feel daunting, but taking small steps can help you get started in clearing out your space. Focus on one area at a time, starting with one drawer or one room. This makes the task manageable and less overwhelming. As you sort, keep in mind these four things: keep, donate, repurpose, store. This helps you categorize items effectively. Schedule a reasonable window of time for decluttering sessions to maintain focus and prevent burnout. Put monthly decluttering sessions on your calendar to keep your space organized and prevent accumulation.

Organize Your Living Space

Once you’ve decluttered, organizing your space can enhance your mental clarity. Pay attention to where you perform specific activities and make those spaces conducive to such. Do you do your best work at the kitchen table? Make it easy to focus (i.e. keeping it free of clutter). Do you find that you relax best in a certain area of your home? Keep your relaxation items close by for ease of settling in. This helps improve focus and efficiency, and mentally jumpstarts your brain to engage in activities in certain areas of the home.

Keep Up With Daily Household Tasks

This may either sound annoying or responsible, but either way you look at it, it’s helpful. Start your day with a clean kitchen. Make your bed in the morning. Put your dirty clothes in the hamper - and fold that load of laundry from the dryer as soon as you take it out. When you finish a meal, put dishes in the dishwasher, don’t just leave them on the counter or sink. Keeping up with the monotony of daily chores saves hours (no joke) in time doing chores.

Simplify Your Schedule

A packed schedule can lead to stress and anxiety. Take a look at your calendar, both planned activities and ones that you know are upcoming, to distinguish between what’s urgent and important. Focus on high-impact tasks first, and actually add these to your calendar. Realize what is upcoming and what you are capable of committing to - this may mean you say no to activities that do not align with your priorities, or that cause unnecessary stress. Allocate specific time slots for tasks and activities, including breaks. This helps you stay focused and prevents burnout.

Establish a Routine

Creating a daily routine can provide structure and predictability. Even if it means waking up twenty minutes earlier, start your day with activities that bring you joy, such as reading, meditation, or light exercise. Create a calming evening routine to signal your body that it’s time to relax, such as dimming lights, reading, or gentle stretching. Allow for flexibility in your routine to accommodate unexpected events without adding stress.

Practice Self-Care

Self-care is essential for maintaining mental health. One way we often neglet is simply scheduling downtime. Just as you schedule work tasks, carve out time for relaxation and activities that you love, and treat these as high priority as work. Pay attention to your “flow activities”...Pursue hobbies that excite you, whether it’s painting, cooking, or playing an instrument. A simple way to know if an activity fits into this category is if time seems to go by very quickly when engaging in this activity, and it does not make you feel drained.

Incorporate Outdoor Time

Spending time outdoors can greatly enhance your mental health. Exposure to nature has been shown to reduce stress, improve mood, and boost creativity. Aim for at least 20-30 minutes, at minimum, outdoors daily. Engage in activities like walking, jogging, gardening, having lunch outside, taking your zoom or phone meeting from the patio, or just making a point to park farther so you have longer to walk to your destination. Choose what feels most enjoyable to you. Practice mindfulness by paying attention to your surroundings and take time to “smell the flowers” - it sounds silly, but it really helps.

Make Time For Friends and Family

One of the highest markers of a successful, and happy, life are peoples close connections. That coffee you planned with a friend? Healthy and important. Keep those dates and make more of them. Better yet, find community with people who like to engage in the same hobbies and activities as you. Schedule time with family members and count that towards minutes in your calendar that count as important.

Simplifying your home and your schedule is key to helping maintain your mental health. By decluttering your space (little by little), keeping up with small household, daily chores, and being mindful about your schedule, you can give yourself space to breathe better and have time to do things that bring you joy. Take time to do one of these things at a time and notice how you feel. If you need help getting started, don’t hesitate to reach out!

By Jolene Nannette

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