By Engr. Carlos V. Cornejo
Practicing order is both a material and spiritual virtue. Order as a spiritual virtue means we have the proper hierarchy in giving importance to persons. Order in our love for example means we should love God above all, parents or spouse follows, then relatives and friends. Order in giving honor or respect means we give more honor to our teacher than to our classmates.
Order as a material virtue on the other hand means there is proper arrangement with our things. It means everything is in its proper place so that things at home or in our workplace look tidy and pleasant. To achieve material order we need to do some decluttering or being a minimalist. Ryan Nicodemus and Joshua Fields Millburn authors of the book, “Love People, Use Things: Because the Opposite Never Works” say that being a minimalist doesn’t’ mean living in a home with stark white walls and no furniture ― it’s about keeping what enhances your life and getting rid of what doesn’t. But experts say that decluttering isn’t only about physical clarity and neatness, it has positive health benefits as well. According to Makespace.com, some of the benefits include:
Alleviates Anxiety and Depression
Research from the University of California found that clutter produces high levels of the stress hormone cortisol which can trigger anxiety and depression. We should put away newly purchased items or store sentimental items as soon as possible so there will be less clutter and stress at home.
Promotes Sleep
Studies link clutter in the bedroom with interrupted sleep patterns. Researchers from St. Lawrence University found that messy bedrooms result in poor sleep due to depression and stress.
Fewer Allergies
It’s easy to get mold, pet hair and dust mites in the home if you have objects scattered all over the house. This can lead to troublesome allergens and poor ventilation. Makespace.com says that poor ventilation coupled with high humidity is a breeding ground for mold.
Creates Harmony
When people share living quarters, a messy environment can strain relationships between family members and roommates. Keep your clutter out of common areas. This will create a more harmonious relationship in the home, as well as improve emotional well-being.
Gets You Moving
Putting household items away, dusting and vacuuming are forms of exercise, so you will feel the physical benefits of decluttering your home. Thrive Global says that dusting can burn up to 174 calories an hour. Since dust always seems to return the next day, you can be sure you will continue to reap the benefits of this chore.
I will have to add one more benefit that Makespace.com forgot which is helping you locate things right away. When there is decluttering and order, you could easily find a tool or item that you need and you won’t have to spend much time looking for it; much like if you put order with files in your computer. Files in your computer can be easily found when you store and classify them in folders. Peace comes from order thus the famous phrase peace and order.
