Declutter for the Health of It: Simple Organizing for Seniors
- Mara Clements
- 15 minutes ago
- 7 min read
There’s plenty of advice for seniors when it comes to maintaining physical health, but senior mental health needs the same amount of attention. I know from working with dozens of clients over the years that our external environments are a huge contributor to how we feel inside. We all want to enjoy the people we love and the activities we care about, and starting healthy habits in our homes can be just what the doctor ordered.
Here are my best tips for simple organizing for seniors, so you can show yourself the care your mind and body deserve.
TIP 1: Start with your bedroom
Sleep is one of the most important pillars of your health, physically and mentally. Starting your organizing journey with your bedroom is a good way to show yourself that you are worthy of starting and ending every day in a space that serves you.
Piles of clean and dirty laundry, knick-knacks collecting dust, and random toys and papers can all weigh you down and hinder your sleep. A lack of energy may have nothing to do with age and may instead be stemming from the mental weight of clutter in the places where you are meant to relax.
Clear the clutter from the floor first, then the surfaces of your dresser and nightstands. If you want to go even further, tackle the closet and your drawers. Any of these steps will help you feel more relaxed and calm so you can sleep better at night and have a safe place to wake up or retreat to during the day.
Turn your bedroom into a sanctuary by painting the walls a soothing color and clearing the windows of any obstructions to let the light in. Consider hanging a piece of art you love or a plant that’s easy to take care of. Add special touches like soft blankets, candles, or a diffuser to give it a peaceful feel that helps you relax and touches all your senses.
What’s something you’ve always dreamed of having in your bedroom? Maybe you could realize that dream in a small way to the space you currently find yourself in. You don’t need to go big– just honor that small desire you have and try something new. Maybe it’s a reading nook, a nightstand with a candle and a lighter right inside the drawer, or a simpler, more inviting closet with clothes you love. It’s never too late to show yourself a bit of extra care.
TIP 2: Make it as easy as possible to make decisions
Getting older can come with tough decisions, such as when to retire, how to balance family responsibilities, and what to do with your time. Ideally, those personal, significant decisions are the most difficult ones we have to make. But they can be made easier when we have more mental space.
If you’re feeling spread thin recently, it may be because you have too much. Maybe your belongings are spread out across your home, making you feel scattered and keeping you from feeling grounded.
To get more mental space, try eliminating some of the smaller day-to-day decisions from your routine. If you have a place for everything in your home, it will make it easier to decide where to put something, or easier to access what you need. Have an automatic place to put things, and you won’t have to put so much energy into figuring out where they could go.
And by only keeping what you truly need, you will find that you have plenty of space for everything, reducing feelings of overwhelm. Make decisions about what to keep based on what you love and what you use (or want to use) frequently.
When you smooth out your routine, you make it easier to do the things that help you take care of yourself. For example:
Keep your yoga mat near the door so you can grab it easily on the way to the studio
Store your favorite baking supplies in an easy-to-access location in your kitchen, instead of the tallest shelf in the cabinet or the lowest shelf in the pantry.
Consider keeping your medicines at eye-level in a kitchen cabinet rather than tucked away in a drawer.
Labeled bins and baskets can come in handy here too. Just make sure you are storing the things you need regularly where they are easily accessible. Having one spot for your keys will cut down on being late, having one station for your mail will help you pay your bills on time, etc.
A professional organizer can help you make these decisions based on your unique routine and needs. It can be hard to make these decisions on your own if you are already feeling overwhelmed. Contact me and ask about how I can help you with your systems so they support your habits in an easy, relaxed way.
TIP 3: Clean out the kitchen
No one wants to cook in a messy kitchen, even if you love cooking. Many of us use our kitchens for things other than cooking and storing food. You may have a stack of bills and unopened envelopes on the kitchen island, or maybe you’re constantly having a hard time closing the junk drawer.
Imagine a kitchen that functions as it was intended to: a place to store, prepare, and serve food to family and friends—and that’s it. When I simplified my kitchen, it was easier for me to meal-plan, and I found myself eating healthier snacks because I had time and room to prep.
A simple, satisfying way to get started is to empty your fridge, wipe down the surfaces, and then only put back the things that you truly will use. Be decisive about what to do with the rest. Share surplus items with a friend, compost vegetables that are starting to turn, and make a plan to use a nearly-empty sauce container for dinner tonight.
It may feel like some items you choose to get rid of are “going to waste,” but they don’t serve their purpose by sitting in the fridge. Instead, feel grateful for the abundance, and then realize how much easier it feels to let it go.
When we take care of the place where we keep our food, we are making a statement to ourselves that we are worth nourishing. Sometimes this bit of extra care can go a long way in making you feel motivated to cook again.
TIP 4: Get organized to get connected
Organization is a skill, and it’s not too late to learn it and feel how it impacts you and the people you love.
Loneliness will make it hard to experience the joy of any other organizational change I described. The amount of consistent, supportive connection we have with others is one of the biggest contributors to our health.
Thankfully, an organized home will benefit your relationships. With designated spots for everything you need, expectations are clear, and there is less conflict. Minimizing the visible clutter and overwhelm allows for more ease and less tension in your relationships.
An organized home is also easier to keep clean, so you are more likely to have friends and guests over. Think about what you might like guests to experience when they are at your home. Do you want to be the cool grandparent with the backyard pool? Do you want to have people over for dinner more often, or maybe host a book club? This will help determine which spaces you want to focus on organizing.
And, don’t forget to hang up pictures in your home of your loved ones that may live far from you now. They’re never far off, especially if we are constantly able to recall fond memories with them. Even if you live alone, you can still feel connected to the ones you love with simple tangible reminders.
Simple Organizing for Seniors: You Are Not Alone
You are not alone in this organizing journey! So many seniors are ready to start prioritizing their mental health and starting with their homes.
Your health, mental and physical, is one of the most important reasons to get organized and declutter. When we are sleeping and eating better, we have more energy and can be more productive. When we know what we have and where we keep it, we cut down on stress, save money, and strengthen our relationships. This phase of life is the perfect time to take advantage of the benefits of decluttering.
Next Steps:
Working with a professional can make it easier and more enjoyable to get organized and declutter. Contact me with an organizing dilemma you’re currently facing in your home.
Read this blog post about “Swedish Death Cleaning” if you want some more motivation to get started.
Sign up for my (infrequent) email newsletter and receive immediate access to free organizing and decluttering worksheets. They are designed to be printed out, and then you can fill them out as simple reflection exercises to help you determine what you need. They are specialized to different needs, such as downsizing before a move, decluttering your closet, organizing your mind, and more. Click here to get them sent to you, and unsubscribe at any time.
Email me here to let me know what tips you found the most helpful! And don’t forget to click here to book a decluttering session to commit to taking care of yourself in this season of life.
Mara Clements is a professional organizer, small business owner, and mom based in Lancaster, PA. For over 15 years, she has been empowering clients with the tools they need to maintain a simple and peaceful environment wherever they choose to live and work. Mara works alongside you through the decluttering process to organize what matters to you so you can live a life aligned with your values.
Comments