Outer Order, Inner Calm: Declutter and Organize to Make More Room for Happiness

by Gretchen Rubin

Once visual noise is eliminated, I feel more focused and there’s more room in my mind, my schedule, and my space for creative activity. Instead of being sources of stress, my home and my office are places of comfort and energy.

when my body is in a place that’s orderly, my mind becomes more serene.

We’re all different—in what possessions we value, in the kinds of surroundings that we find pleasurable, in the kinds of habits that come naturally to us, in the dynamics of our household or workplace. There’s no one “right” or “best” way to create a better life.

it’s important to remember that outer order isn’t simply a matter of having less or having more; it’s a matter of wanting what we have.

In many situations, we don’t need to make a perfect choice but just a good-enough choice.

Clutter attracts clutter, so once clutter begins to accumulate, an area tends to get worse and worse.

If you need to buy things to store things, perhaps you have too many things.

Sometimes, because we’ve devoted a lot of time, effort, or expense to a period of our lives, we hang on to the things associated with it. A few beloved, well-chosen mementos can help us recall old times, but keeping too much stuff keeps us stuck in the past and cramps our ability to embrace the present.

Working is one of the most dangerous forms of procrastination.

It’s satisfying to use the things we own, and it’s wasteful to save them for a day that may never come.