Spring is finally here! As the sunshine creeps back in, it can shine a spotlight on all the things we may have let slide during the dreary winter months. Look around. Do you see blankets on every piece of furniture, stacks of books piled high, or a closet packed a little too full of clothes? If so, we’ve got some pretty good reasons for clearing it out — starting with the fact that decluttering your space can go a long way in decluttering your mind.
What is clutter?
“Clutter” is too much stuff that you don’t need and can’t keep organized. Types of clutter include physical (books), digital (undeleted emails) and mental (reviewing a to-do-list in your head).
It’s important to understand that having clutter is not the same as having a hoarding disorder. Hoarding is a mental health condition that requires professional help from a qualified therapist.
How clutter can impact your mental health
Studies have shown that clutter can have a negative impact on people’s brain function and mental well-being.
Here’s what they found:
- Clutter can overload the brain and diminish productivity. Our brains can only process so much visual information at a time. Having too much clutter, or visual noise, can make it difficult to focus on a task. Basically, you could have a harder time making decisions, processing information and remembering things.
- Clutter can negatively impact your feelings of well-being. For some people, being in a cluttered environment causes their bodies to produce more cortisol — the stress hormone. It can lead to feelings of overwhelm, anxiousness and unhappiness.
- Clutter can create chaos. Have you ever lost an important email because you have six months’ worth of messages in your inbox? Maybe you can’t find the ingredient you need in your overflowing pantry and now dinner is ruined? These are examples of how clutter can cause unnecessary complications in your daily life.
- Clutter can cause relationship challenges. Arguments over clutter creeping into shared spaces or negatively impacting others’ routines can cause trouble in relationships.
How to declutter your mind by decluttering your space
One of the hardest parts of decluttering is deciding what should stay and what should go. Here are a few questions to ask yourself.
- Have I used this in the past year? (If not, it should probably go.)
- Does this have deep sentimental value?
- Do I have enough space for this, and can it be organized in a useful way?
Ready to do a little mental spring cleaning?
- Start small. Tackle one room, one closet or just one group of items at a time. Set a timer and stop when it goes off. You’ll be motivated to do more when see the results you get in such little time!
- Create groups. Separate items into three groups: Keep, Donate/Sell and Trash. Throw away trash as soon as you’re finished with your decluttering session, and donate or sell items within two weeks.
- Organize. Even useful things can become clutter if you don’t have a way to keep them organized. Put everything away where you can find it easily. Use clear bins, labels and other supplies when needed.
- Pay attention to how you feel. Once your space is decluttered, take time to examine your mood. Do you feel happier? More in control? Is it easier to access what you need? Pay attention to that feeling and let it be your motivation to keep the clutter out.
Don’t forget about the clutter you can’t touch: digital and emotional clutter
Delete. Digital clutter can take a big toll on our mental health and productivity. Unsubscribe from email lists and delete unnecessary emails, texts, voicemails, contacts and files from your devices as well.
Write it out. Do a brain dump to clear out mental clutter. Sit down and write a list of everything you have been trying to remember. You might be surprised how much lighter you feel when you don’t have a constant to-do list cycling through your mind. Also, consider journaling to lighten your emotional clutter.
How to keep clutter away
Tips for keeping clutter from creeping back in:
- Ask the tough questions. Before buying something new, ask yourself: Do I really need/want this? How often will I use it? What will I get rid of to make space for it?
- Put things away immediately. Some say that clutter is just delayed decisions. Don’t put things in a “holding space” before putting them away.
- End the day tidy. Take about 10 to 15 minutes to tidy up each night before going to bed. Waking up to an orderly house will make your morning smoother and might even make your mood brighter.
- Seek inspiration. You can find tons of books, videos and more about decluttering and organizing.
