Order in the Home

In a small country town, I met several young women who were deeply depressed. They said that coming to my home always cheered them up. I discovered that all these women had something in common: disorderly homes. This led me to the conclusion that order in the home contributes to peace of mind, a sense of well being, and a cheerful countenance. The women I observed who were happy, had in common the elements of order in their home.

By order, I do not mean to imply that there was not a speck of dust in the home, or that the rooms did not have things laying around that could be put away. Rather, I mean that there was order in their routine, and the rooms functioned in whatever capacity they were meant for. The happier women at home were dressed well, well groomed, and were functioning at top level.

They enjoyed the different times of day: Morning, Noon, and Evening. These were almost rituals to them. They seemed to know when it was time to do a certain thing. For example, noticing the fridge needed to be cleaned, they would make mental note of it and within the same day or the next, would clean it. The lounge room did not contain things that did not belong there. It was kept beautiful for drop-in visitors and for the family. Empty pop cans, chip bags, and plates of leftover pizza were not part of the living room decor.

In the dining room, the table was cleared often for projects of various types, and even though things got a little messy, they were eventually gathered up and put away. The depressed women, on the other hand, were only happy and cheered up when they went somewhere else, where order exisited.

I'm not denying the fact that a person can get themselves in clutter so deep that it is harder to crawl out of it, and it perpetuates depression. If you need a little help to get your home in order, don't be afraid to enlist it, or hire it. Sometimes Christian women who seem to have the knack for order, are just itching to get their hands on someone else's clutter, and straighten it out. Don't say no! Just watching such a woman can be inspiring, and her actions will teach you a great deal about managing the mess. Sometimes observing the way a room is kept in someone else's neat and tidy home, can help give you the jump-start you need to dig in and clean up your own house. You might ask the women you admire the most, for tips on how to get started, finish, and maintain your house.