Tag Archives: organization

6 Things in Your Home that are Secretly Stressing You Out

Maybe your over-scheduled calendar isn’t completely to blame for your stress – maybe it’s something less obvious and far easier to fix!

  1. Your Clutter – There’s actually a scientifically proven link between the stress hormone, cortisol, and a “high density of household objects” like piles of laundry, a sink full of dishes, stacks of mail, or toys. In fact, visual clutter competes with our ability to focus and tires our cognitive functions over time. The same holds true in your office, so sparing a few minutes at the end of your day to keep your workspace tidy may have real health and productivity benefits.
  2. Your Unmade Bed – The simple act of making your bed is not only correlated with better productivity, a greater sense of well-being and more self-discipline, but turns out it’ll also keep you healthier.
  3. Junk Food – What you eat really does have a direct effect on our stress and anxiety levels. This game of willpower only gets worst when those delicious cookies are displayed – hide them, freeze them, or share them and be the office hero. Out of sight, out of mind.
  4. Financial Documents – Restrict these to one room, in a filing cabinet or office desk, rather than having them spread throughout the house. Your accountant will appreciate this, too.
  5. Your Work – Sometimes there’s no way to avoid bringing work home, but keeping it all on the kitchen table or coffee table day after day has a negative effect on your health. Keep it confined to an office rather than letting it stare you down all weekend long.
  6. Noise – Be mindful of how loud your television or music is because it turns out, more noise equals more stress.

Photo credit: Jamie Grill/Getty

VERY Clever: Home Hacks to Make Life Easier

Here are some of our VERY favorite home hacks that will make life a little easier (and more fun). We’d love to hear from you – connect with us on Twitter and Facebook, and tell us about your favorite tips!

Bring the Spa Home
Remember how refreshed and relaxed you felt after being pampered at the spa resort last summer? What if you could recreate that every single day in the comfort of your own home? It’s easier than you think – all you need is a small bunch of eucalyptus and some twine, hang it upside down and tie it to your shower head. Steam from the shower will rise and voila…close your eyes and you can pretend your back in Bali (almost). This, plus more secrets to transforming your shower experience here.

Carpet Dents Be Gone
Rearranging furniture? Pesky indentations in your carpets can make a rearranged room look like it wasn’t meant to be. Instead of waiting it out, place ice cubes on the indents and your carpet will spring right back to its old self.

Quick Chill
To quickly cool a drink, wrap a wet paper towel around it and put it in the freezer for a few minutes. For more food hacks, like how to avoid chewy pizza crust when reheating, click here.

Eliminate the Shuffle 
Paint your keys
for ease of use – your house cleaner and/or babysitter will thank you!

Make it Sparkle
Make your glassware sparkle again by putting a few drops of tablespoons of vinegar on a dish rag…give it a wipe and any fogginess will disappear.

Create-Extra-Shoe-Closet
Credit: PopSugar

Secret Shoes 
Create a second shoe closet with a shoe rack and hanging curtain.

Brighten and Broaden 
Put a mirror behind a lamp. This magic trick causes the light of the lamp to bounce off the mirror, creating the feel of a brighter, larger room.

Sweater Refresher
Bally sweater? A textured kitchen sponge can de-pill it. And, who knew – there are actually a lot of uses for kitchen sponges here.

Sparks Fly
‘Tis the season for static electricity. Yes, there’s static guard, but putting a safety pin on the inseam of your pant leg’s hem can also do the trick (without the weird scent). Another hint: if you run out of dryer sheets, place a rolled up ball of aluminum foil in the dryer for the same effect.

tray
Credit: Ruffled

Clip it
Use binder clips to more efficiently store items in your freezer (or pantry) by securing them to the wire rack, and save yourself the trouble of digging through piles of frozen food.

On the Hook
Hang your jeans on shower hooks for easier access.

Reimagine Decorative Frames 
A decorative frame is for more than just photos – use it for a lovely cupcake tray. Or, mount it on the wall and use a dry erase marker to write your grocery list or notes on – a classy alternative to an ugly whiteboard.

What did we miss? Connect with us on Twitter and Facebook to tell us about your favorite home hacks!