Reduction of stress and mental load, time saving, clarity of mind, improvement of family relations up to the feeling of accomplishment, self-confidence and desire for emancipation... Tidying up your interior would be the key to happiness and could well change your life! Where to start ? Christine Tessier, storage coach, guides us.

Feeling stressed lately? According to a nine-year study from the University of California , it might be stemming from your home environment. The study shows that cortisol levels (the stress hormone) are higher in women living in cluttered homes. We're not talking about a stray sock, a pile of dirty dishes in the sink, or an overflowing recycling bin. Nor are we referring to Diogenes syndrome (a genuine pathology, this behavioral disorder is characterized by the excessive accumulation of useless objects and waste, reminiscent of the unsanitary housing portrayed in shows like "C'est du Propre" on M6), but rather an organizational struggle that leads to many other problems we often choose to ignore: poor time management, mental overload, family tensions… A snowball effect that not only weighs heavily on family life at home but can even erode self-confidence.

Convinced that an optimized interior was a source of well-being (and much more), Christine Tessier has made storage her job: Home Organizer, or storage consultant. A new career path for this photo stylist, trained for two years in the Marie Kondo method.

You're surely familiar with "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Japanese author Marie Kondo, a manual for decluttering your home from top to bottom, a bestseller with over 6 million copies sold worldwide (including my own, the author of this article), and adapted into a Netflix series. This life-saving decluttering method should be undertaken at least once in a lifetime, "over a period of 6 months to 1 year," Christine specifies.

The key? Organize by product category, not by room (clothes, books, toiletries, electronics, souvenirs, etc.), and in a well-defined order, from least to most sentimental. Basically, from easiest to most complicated. Each item requires a decision (keep it or not), asking yourself if, in addition to being useful, it brings you joy. A true moment of introspection and gratitude, since in her method, the organizing guru advises thanking each item you decide to part with. Coincidence? 69% of French people say they want to declutter their homes, according to a Sociovision study for the French National Furniture Industries Union.

Our advice after testing:
It's long. Sort it out in stages, especially if you live in an apartment to avoid turning your interior into a shambles for months and finally taking 10 steps back or even getting discouraged. It's an excellent way to become aware of your consumption: in the method, Marie advises to spread out the same categories of objects on the floor (so all the memories together for example, all the clothes, all the electric cables, etc.) . Maddening balance sheet after years of accumulation. At the end of the course, we learn to cherish the objects/clothes that we keep, we take even more care of them (I invested in a pilling razor to find my sweaters like new each season and I am become a dust maniac). And Christine confirms: “Very often, we review our way of consuming. We pay attention to what we bring into our homes, and we buy more consciously”. A small step for you, a big one for the planet?

An introspection on his life

The sorting being finished (9 months later for me), it's a real relief. For the first time, I separated from objects that I loved, but which no longer served me on a daily basis. Out of a dozen garbage bags (it goes very quickly!), I gave 3/4 to recycling centers, and I'm much happier to tell myself that they must be used for someone today rather than see them sleeping in my closets. This big cleaning was finally the first stage of a more colossal sorting, that of my life. Because fun fact: once this “mission” was over, I got down to much deeper subjects, and I moved.

Is a major decluttering a first step towards a life change? Our expert Christine Tessier certainly thinks so: “The most interesting thing after this sorting is the profound result of this introspection. You free up space in your home, and therefore in your mind. The more objects you have, the more energy you expend managing them, and the less time you have. After this decluttering, you rediscover a 'clean' space, both literally and figuratively. Not tidying up is a way of escaping by 'filling' things, of not dedicating yourself to your true desires.”

Some of his clients have, for example, changed jobs, moved, considered a baby project. If at first, tidying up de-stresses, soothes and makes family relationships more fluid (everyone is autonomous in their space, which reduces the mental load, most often female), for Christine, tidying up is a way of pressing pause and to take stock of your life: we do not advocate a minimalist interior but an interior that corresponds to the person you are now, at the moment T.”. Taking care of your body, your mind, AND your interior - the key to a more peaceful life in tune with our roughness!

The bathroom is the room in the house that exemplifies well-being. For many, it is also a decompression chamber before or after a day's work. It's one of the rare moments when you really disconnect, so this room must be all the more clean, pretty, orderly to offer a real feeling of relaxation. Christine gives you her tips for tidying up your bathroom efficiently.

Throw away expired products. And there are far more of them than you think! An opened mascara lasts 3 months, a day cream 1 year, a sunscreen 6 years... Hence the importance of knowing how to read labels—and not accumulating too much. Test the beauty routine that works for you and stick to it for 3 to 6 months to observe the effects on your skin.

Keep only the bare essentials in the shower and on the sink; the surface should be easy to clean. Store the rest in easily accessible places. And above all, avoid products with large labels and lots of text to read, because the brain can't help but read, even when you don't want to! Try it with the signs on the street or in the subway.

- Out of stock. No matter the promotional offers at the supermarket etc, even if the human being is conditioned by this "fear of missing out", your daily well-being is worth more than a 3rd deodorant offered at the head of the gondola.

- Think positive sorting. Small exercise: keep only your favorite products, those that you would take for 1 month of travel.

- Sort by product type: daily products (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, day cream) and occasional products (scrub, razor, etc.). Gather them by universe: hair, body..

All of Christine's tips are available on @mybetterplace.paris

To do during your spring cleaning: launch the HO KALM podcast and pick and choose from the best tips from our guests (Amélie Pichard, Katsuni, Camille Aumont Carnel) to find peace of mind. Reward yourself by lighting the OKLM candle, savor the accomplishment of this task, and reflect on your life afterward?

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