Remove Clutter From Your Life
Clutter is defined as a collection of things lying about in an untidy mass. Aside from the obvious physical effect, clutter can also negatively affect mental health. One study found that women who reported more clutter in their homes had higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol throughout the day compared to women who had less clutter.
Clutter affects your focus, makes you procrastinate, and strains relationships. It can trigger unhealthy eating behaviors as shown by a study where people ate more cookies and snacks when the environment in which they’re offered a choice of foods is chaotic which leads to stress. Clutter can also lead to an overall decreased satisfaction in life.
Cleaning up clutter can be overwhelming which is why it’s also important to understand the emotions you experience when reducing clutter. Here are some tips from Verywell Mind on how to remove clutter from your life and improve your mental health:
Dedicate the Time
No doubt, decluttering your entire home is a daunting task. But what if you tried breaking up your time into manageable blocks? Maybe you dedicate one hour of every weekday evening to decluttering a single section of your home.
It's OK to go slowly. You most likely didn't accumulate all of your possessions in one day, so chances are, you're not going to declutter everything in one day, either. But it could be helpful to set a goal for how long you spend on each room of your house (i.e., two weeks on the living room and three weeks on the garage). You can even invite a trusted friend or loved one to help you.
Reduce Items
Try making four piles of things: the first that you keep, the second that you give away or donate, and the third that you throw away. If you're having trouble deciding what to do with certain items, you can put those in the fourth pile and decide at a later time.
It's often easiest to start with items that can be thrown away, like expired food, old cosmetics, or anything that's broken and cannot be fixed. You may need to look up some recycle centers near you to make sure you're properly disposing of items.
Ask yourself whether you've used an item within the last year. If the answer is no, chances are you can safely donate it without missing it.
Research charities and other organizations that accept donations. It can help with the anxiety you may feel as you're parting with your possessions to realize that you're giving things away to people who will value them.
There's also the option of selling items that are in good condition. You can try having a yard sale, selling items online, or bringing belongings to pawn shops or thrift stores. You might be able to earn some money by selling your items, which can be an extra motivator for tidying up.
Organize
Try to organize items based on what you use every day—you'll want those to be easily accessible, for instance, in the top drawer of your nightstand or in the kitchen cabinet you use most often. A good rule of thumb is to try to keep surfaces (like countertops and desks) free of belongings.
Once again, take small steps when you organize. As you go, you can consider buying an organizing bin or storage container where it's needed; however, be careful not to buy too many. Go back to reducing the number of items you have whenever you feel you can get rid of more. (That's a step you'll return to again and again when keeping a clutter-free home).
Most importantly, notice how it feels as you declutter. Are you able to appreciate the beauty of your furniture when it's not covered with clothes? Does it feel refreshing to sit down at your desk without moving stacks of paper out of the way first? Noticing how great it feels to have a clutter-free home can help inspire you to keep going on your decluttering journey.
Be sure to catch Part 2 of this article next week. For now, think of a step you can do to start decluttering your home and/or office and create the mental headspace your mind needs.
Blessings of health,
From all of us at RISE
