How does it happen? Pretty easily! First, blame the gazillions of items. available for two-day shipping. (Need a bathrobe for your dog? A pack of artificial lemons? Six dozen pink taper candles? They're all just a few clicks away!) Then there's the human instinct to feel attached to your things, which makes it harder to part with theme specially if you're the nostalgic type, says Carolyn Caldwell, a certified professional organizer based in Toronto who specializes in chronic disorganization. "People who are sentimental tend to assign equal importance to many, many things, and that makes it difficult for them to prioritize." Even if you're not emotionally invested in that ice cream machine, maybe you keep it around on the off chance you'll need it someday, or because you like the idea of being someone who makes their own ice cream. Finally, it takes more effort to combat clutter than to accumulate it. Do nothing and things just pile up.
If you're a woman and you're feeling seen, know this: Women are more likely than men to be told their excess stuff is clutter, says Joseph Ferrari, PhD, a deacon and a professor of psychology at DePaul University. "In our culture, women are instructed to declutter. Men are told, 'That must be your hobby' or 'Those are your toys." In short, we're trained to be a bit hard on ourselves. Whether it's clutter or not, if we think of it as such, there can be real side effects, Ferrari adds. "What we've found is that the more clutter there is, the less sense of home you have-the less satisfaction and the more indecision." We're not just talking about an icky feeling but a concrete effect on your life, he says. "When the living space is impacted, it causes people stress and impairs their functioning."
Esta historia es de la edición April 2024 de Real Simple.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición April 2024 de Real Simple.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 8500 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
5 Juneteenth Celebrations
Plan a seriously fun trip that’s rooted in history.
what to COOK
RECIPES FOR REAL LIFE
THE BEST
Sometimes it's not enough for our editors to be instantly impressed by a product. Sometimes we want to push it to the limits in one of our three labs, our own homes, or both to see how it holds up under pressure. We cook, we wear, we smear, we clean. We evaluate and tally. Then we give out the REAL SIMPLE Selects seal. When we put that label on something, that means it's among the 5,200-plus products we've formally evaluated according to strict protocols. On this list: some of our current faves. If you see something you like, scan the QR code and get shopping!
Women & Their Finances
We partnered with the brilliant minds at the finance site Investopedia to determine what’s holding women back in the money department. The findings? We’re on our way! But we’ve got some work to do.
MAKE YOUR JEWELRY SHINE
A treasure trove of tips to get your sparkly things ready for primetime
BLUEBERRY SWEET CORN SHORTCAKE
Two of summer's best ingredients come together in an epic dessert just begging to be invited to a party.
Modern Manners Advice for Your Social Quandaries
My husband's niece is getting married in eight months. The save-the-date only had my husband's name, my name, and my husband's two kids' names (my stepkids).
how we live
ADVICE, INSPIRATION A LITTLE PEACE OF MIND
design rules you should definitely break
When it comes to expressing yourself at home, sometimes it's best to ignore the \"supposed tos\" and do your own darn thing instead. As proof, we offer these rule-breaking rooms from six of our favorite designers.
THE BRIGHTEST
On this list, you'll find the people, products, and ideas that light up our world, show us the way, and change the game.