We’ve all experienced staring down a stack of laundry or being overwhelmed by a mountain of pressing tasks. While it can be exhausting thinking about your many responsibilities, leaving them to pile up can actually do more harm than good. Not only will it get in the way, but the disorderliness of it all can carry over to other aspects of your life without you even knowing it. Whether you’re at home, at work, or driving to your next errand, staying organised might just be the life-changing magic you need.

Increase productivity 

Ever find yourself with too many tasks that you eventually end up not getting anything done? Clutter might be the culprit. When you’re surrounded by mess and distractions, it hinders your focus and puts your visual cortex on overdrive. This overwhelming feeling usually results in you wishing you had more hours in the day. True enough, an article on Entrepreneur confirms that organised people get more things done. Often, they follow an efficient routine that includes keeping to-do lists, setting distinct goals, and maintaining a clear head and work space at all times.

Boost your mood

A study published by the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin found that women who described their homes as “cluttered” or full of “unfinished projects” were more tired and unhappy, compared to those who felt their homes were “restful” and “restorative.” Now, just imagine coming home to a house full of mess. That alone can immediately set off a natural increase in cortisol. And when that happens, it’s your mood and overall well-being that takes a hit. So go ahead — power through those papers and claim your much-deserved bubble bath at the end of a long day. An added bonus: you can hit two birds with one stone by making a fun DIY project out of it. Not only will you get your things sorted, but you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment having done it all on your own.

Re-discover things you forgot you had

When you aren’t organised, you’re more prone to losing important items. That alone should be enough to convince you to tidy up. But if you need more inspiration, look to Montreal native Gregorio De Santis, whom Newsweek reveals found a forgotten lottery ticket worth $1.75 million after cleaning his closet. And while De Santis was lucky enough to have found the golden ticket, you might find yourself with a different treasure all together. It could be a different lotto ticket, like the Mega Millions jackpot, which is reported by Lottoland to reach as high as $845 million. Unearthing a forgotten lottery ticket, as crazy as it seems, could be your tickets to dream vacations, and ultimately a better life. More than that, it will always remind you to keep things in order, as you never know what you could’ve lost.

Get more creative

Some people have this notion of artists as chaotic thinkers who make beautiful things out of the disorder that goes on in their heads and studios. But real-life artists and creatives know that that’s nothing more than an unrealistic fantasy. Behind every finished piece are layers and layers of painstaking detail and steps — which were only made possible through being organised. You never know, structure might be the missing formula that will reveal the masterpiece just hiding behind your curtains.