As we all know, cleaning and organizing can be extremely satisfying. That annual spring cleaning (which I finally get around to at the end of the summer…) lifts a huge weight off my shoulders and makes the air feel lighter in my home. Finally, I know exactly where that pair of scissors is when I need it, and I don’t have to wade through an ocean of tupperware to find the lid I need.

But unfortunately, life gets busy and chaotic, and it’s not always easy to keep your sock drawer neatly organized or your kitchen spices in perfect order. That’s why it’s great to get some inspiration every now and then from people who live to organize and groups such as the subreddit we’re highlighting now.  

This online group dedicated to sharing high quality organization pictures is a godsend for anyone who loves neatness and order. It describes itself as “for your daily dose of order amidst the chaos,” and as you can see from the photos, it’s doing a great job fulfilling its purpose. The group was created in December 2011, and has since amassed an impressive 177k members.

But even if you’re not the most organized person in the world, it’s easy to see why anyone can enjoy these photos. From shelves of beautifully placed bottles of paint to spice racks that belong in an interior design magazine, this subreddit has everything members need to inspire them to declutter their own homes. And the beautiful thing about getting organized is that it doesn’t have to be expensive or require any tools. As long as you set aside some time and put in enough effort, your space can be stunningly tidy too!  

If you know the feeling of coming home after a long day and finding your house in perfect order and feeling relieved that you took hours out of your weekend to clean the floors, fold your clothes and put away all of those miscellaneous receipts and papers that somehow find a way into your home each week, you likely don’t need a reason to get organized. You already know how satisfying it can be. But if you need a little more convincing, let’s dive into the psychology of why tidying up feels so great. 

According to licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Bethany Cook, part of the reason we love organization is because we find comfort in predictability, the expert told House Beautiful. “Organizing your living space means you know where things are without searching, and this feels safe,” she explained. But safety isn’t the only reason why we want to tidy up. Apparently, the act of physically organizing things “can serve as a physical outlet for what sometimes feels unorganized or chaotic in the mind,” licensed professional counselor Rebecca Phillips says.

Organizing our homes can also make us feel a sense of accomplishment, if we’ve been putting off the task for a while and it feels like a huge thing to check off our to-do list. Or, you might enjoy rummaging through all of your things because of what you’ll find along the way. “When we organize and sort through our stuff, it can result in several experiences that can make us feel good, like feeling nostalgia as you rediscover a forgotten yet cherished item,” Dr. Cook says. “Or throwing away or donating things you no longer need frees up space and feels good.”

Unsurprisingly, our homes can also be much more peaceful when there’s very little clutter around. “Studies have shown that it’s more difficult for a person to focus when their visual cortex is over-stimulated,” Dr. Cook says. “As such, when the space is organized, it doesn't deplete an individual's energy level just to concentrate.”

While organization has always been something many of us turn to when we’re stressed, it had a boom on social media during the pandemic when we felt like very little in our lives was in our control. “Many spaces felt too small, too big, too cluttered, or shared by too many people,” Phillips told House Beautiful. “Organizing one’s space was one thing that could be done in a situation where many felt a lack of control coupled with feeling trapped.”

But like anything else in life, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. So becoming obsessed with being neat and tidy can become a problem as well. “When you start sacrificing your mental health at the expense of a tidy home, you’ve gone too far, “ Dr. Cook notes. “Are you yelling at your young kids because they did what kids do and made a mess? Are your relationships, work, or hobbies suffering because you spend so much time tidying?” While this isn’t likely to happen for most of us, remember that there’s nothing wrong with a few magazines left out or some crumbs on the counter. Your mental health is more important than a spotless home.  

Are these photos inspiring you to channel your inner Marie Kondo, pandas? We hope you’re getting some satisfaction from scrolling through these pics that almost make the world seem like it’s not in complete and utter chaos at all times. Keep upvoting your favorite photos, and then if you’re in the mood for even more satisfying organization images, be sure to check out Bored Panda’s previous article on the same topic!