I recently came across this great story in Mina Parker‘s book “Less is More: Meditations on Simplicity, Balance, and Real Abundance.” I thought it was a wonderful expression of how organizing your home can change far more than just your space.

Bye Bye, Extra Stuff

I recently heard a friend talking about how she had worked with someone to declutter and organize her home. The process lasted a couple of months with biweekly sessions and concentrated on helping change lifelong habits of mess and disorganization. My friend was shocked that she lost ten pounds over the course of the sessions, without even trying. She mentioned it to the organizer she’d hired and the woman laughed, “Oh, that happens all the time. I should start including it in my brochures!”

I don’t know what kind of science might be behind this– are you burning extra calories heaving stacks of paper and stooping to sweep up junk? Are you replacing snack time with conscious energy aimed at cleaning and clearing out? Is it just an extension of the metaphor, that as you shed stuff you shed pounds? Is an organized kitchen or fridge a healthier one? I think most likely it’s a combination of all of these, and this reminds me that we are whole beings, and what we do in one part of our life ripples into all the others.

Parker’s book contains brief and beautiful stories which are paired with stunning photography from Daniel Talbott. Pick up a copy!

(“Bye bye, extra stuff” text copyright- Red Wheel/Weiser/ Conari Press, 65 Parker St, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA  01950, 1-800-423-7087)