Would you strip down for a better life?

A couple of weeks ago, I caught an episode of Oprah during which famed organizing expert Peter Walsh guided a ‘plugged in’ family of four through his Stripped Down program in hopes of leading them from disconnected (from each other) and disorganized to calm, cool and connected.

In order to strip down, the family agreed to the following rules for one week:

1. No cell phones or texting
2. No electronics
3. Prepare and eat healthy meals together
4. Clean and organize their home (previously covered in laundry and clutter)
5. Hug and tell each family member something they love about them (every day)

While the first two may seem extreme, the point of the above rules was to get the family’s home and routines back into shape and more importantly to re-connect with each other rather than simply living together like ships in the night. I was immediately intrigued by the program and the obvious results. With Peter by their side to help them dig out from their piles and dig into the family dynamics, it was very clear that everyone, from the parents to the 5 year old and even the fifteen year old son benefited individually and as a family. At the end of the process, they tweaked the extreme rules to be slightly more manageable in the long term, while still effective. The revised rules looked something like this:

1. No cell phones or texting between 6:00 and 9:00 pm
2. No TV before school or during meals
3. Sunday breakfast and 3 dinners together, plus a weekly meal plan
4. Saturday morning clean up and family help with the laundry
5. Keeping up with the daily sentiments, plus a weekly family night and regular date night for the parents

Would you be willing to make similar stripped down changes if it would improve your family relationships, decrease stress, and keep your home in better shape? Sign me up!

Of course, the connection between a clean, organized home and a healthy, happy family life is no surprise to me and probably not to you. As Peter and Oprah pointed out, if your home is a place you love, that will carry through to your relationships – not to mention alleviating mess and chore-related tension. Whip your home into shape one space at a time, starting with the hot spots that cause the most stress. Make it a family affair so everyone is invested in the process and the results. If you’re overwhelmed, you can always call in the professionals to help you put a plan in place and see it all the way through – we’re here to help!