I couldn’t clean for months—and clutter took over. That hard season taught me why simplifying is essential for every homemaker.
Why Simplifying is Important
During the course of my life, I’ve gone through different seasons and had varying levels of ability to keep up with housework. When I was younger, I really enjoyed seasonal decorations, especially for Christmas. But now that I’m older, I’ve come to see more and more that my home needs to work for me and my family—both on our best days and on our worst.
What I mean is that I should be able to keep my home clean and tidy no matter how I’m feeling. That means keeping things simple and not making tasks more complicated than they need to be.
The Systems that Work for Me
When I set up systems for keeping my house clean, I usually do it when I’m feeling my best—and that’s when I tend to create elaborate routines. But those systems don’t always work when I’m tired or not at my best. For example, something as simple as putting away a hairbrush should be no more than a one- or two-step process: 1) open the cabinet door, 2) place the brush in the container. If it requires more steps—like opening the door, taking out the container, removing the lid, putting the brush in, replacing the lid, putting the container back, and closing the door—I just can’t keep up. And I won’t do it when I’m feeling low.
On my worst days, I end up leaving my hairbrush and other items on the bathroom vanity. Then clutter starts to creep in, and I feel like a failure.
My Broken Arm Showed Me My Home Wasn’t Working for Me
A few years ago, I broke my arm and couldn’t do anything for over two months. That was before I started decluttering, and my house wasn’t in great shape to begin with. But after being unable to clean or keep up with chores for months, it became overwhelming—something I can hardly describe. It was incredibly depressing, but I couldn’t do anything about it.
Little by little, I got back into my cleaning routine. But that experience helped me realize my house wasn’t set up for my worst days—and something had to change.
Decluttering Was the Answer for My Home and My Family
At the time, I didn’t know about simplifying or decluttering. But maybe that’s why I so gladly embraced the idea once I discovered it—because I had already lived through a time when I could do nothing. I also began to recognize that I’m not getting any younger, and my energy and capacity to manage my home are slowly decreasing.
Decluttering has brought so many benefits, not just for me as a homemaker, but for my whole family.
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