Table of Contents:
1. Introduction to Clear Space, Clear Mind
2. Why Does Decluttering Matter?
3. What Are Common Obstacles To Decluttering?
4. Step by-Step Decluttering Strategy
5. Decluttering Different Areas of Life
6. Final Thoughts on Clear Space, Clear Mind
1. Introduction to Clear Space, Clear Mind
What is the emotional and mental toll of clutter in your life? What are some of the things that you are hanging onto that you should let go of? What does it mean to declutter? The dictionary definition of decluttering is "the process of removing unnecessary items from an untidy place." In this post, I will lead you through several ways you can declutter your current space and how you can extend the physical act of decluttering into an emotional act of decluttering your life.
2. Why Does Decluttering Matter?
Decluttering your space provides more benefits that go far beyond the physical act. It matters because how you keep your physical space will help to translate into your emotional space. Here are some benefits:
Productivity
One of the biggest benefits of decluttering is how it affects your overall productivity. Learning ways to better optimize your home and creating steps to accomplishing your decluttering tasks will help to broaden the ways in which you get things done overall.
Mental Clarity
I always tell my kids that when our house looks cluttered or untidy, it is really hard for me to concentrate. I am sure I am not alone. Cleaning & decluttering your space helps to mimic the clarity in your mind as well. A clean space creates a clearer path to your thinking and your overall decision making abilities. There is a freedom that comes from seeing everything in its place. If you are looking for ways to clear your mind, decluttering is one of the best paths to mental clarity.
Reduce anxiety
Anxiety is a product of inner turmoil. It comes about when you don't feel as powerful as you should over a particular situation. A cluttered space creates anxiety especially when it starts to get worse and worse. Conversely, decluttering will help to reduce the anxiety that you might be feeling over your living space.
Reshifting of resources
When you declutter, you actually reshift and recover your lost resources. Two of which are time and energy. After you clean up and organize your space, you are now able to devote more time and energy to things that matters the most to you. Maybe it is spending time with an old friend or volunteering at a local charity.
3. What Are Common Obstacles To Decluttering?
The reason why people live in a constant state of clutter is because there are obstacles. Here are some common ones:
Sentimental attachment
This one is a big one. As humans we tend to form sentimental attachments to a lot of things. It is a normal and natural phenomena. I am very guilty of this myself. I was recently cleaning out my basement and found several items from when my kids were small. I mean who can throw out their child's first drawing or their first pair of shoes? Sentimental attachments are the biggest obstacle to decluttering. Here are some tips to helping you get over an object with sentimental attachment:
Tip # 1: Forward or backwards- Ask yourself, "if I throw out this item, will it take me forward or backwards?" or "If I donate this item, will it take me forward or backwards?" If the answer generally tends to be backwards, then it is time to toss it.
Tip # 2: Ask a friend- You might have formed a sentimental attachment to something but your friend or loved one most likely have not. Most of the items I tend to want to keep, my husband is most likely to tell me to toss it. Sometimes you have to give authority to someone else that you trust to make the decision for you.
Tip # 3: Rarely used- If the item you are attached to cannot be used or is rarely used. Then it might be time to get rid of it. Ask yourself: if this item has been sitting in a box for the last how many years and I have not once looked at it or used it, do I really need it?
I Might Need It Someday Syndrome
This one ties into my tip # 3 above, the idea that you are saving an item for some rainy day or you might use it some distant day into the future. When will that day come if it hasn't come already? That trinket that you bought years ago at a flea market most likely was not needed then and is most likely not needed now.
Wasted Money Guilt
I am very guilty of this one. I hate wasting money and it pains me to no end when I have to throw out something that I spent money on. There is a true guilt that comes from throwing money in the garbage. Again, go back to my tip # 1: forward or backwards? What direction will the item take you in? Can you take away the guilt by donating it to someone that might actually use it? Sometimes, you will just have to cut your losses and get rid of whatever you are holding onto.
Feeling overwhelmed
This obstacle prevents people from even starting to declutter. You look at all the mess and you wonder where do I even start? You tell yourself it is too much so I won't even attempt it. This is when you should learn the secret to time management. In my previous blog: 5 Time Management To Make You More Productive I talk about tips that you can use to master time and also pass it onto the next generation.
4. Step by-Step Decluttering Strategy
Having a plan or strategy is really important in your decluttering process. You need a plan especially if you are going through the obstacles that I talked about above. In my Ultimate Decluttering Planner, you will be able to do the following:
Step 1: Set your intentions
For something to make sense or be more meaningful, you have to understand the why behind it. You will be able to define why you need to declutter? Why is it important to you?
Step 2: Access your space
This part of the planner will help you to evaluate your space and identify what is working and what is not working.
Step 3: Set your goals
A big part of any strategy is your goals. Being able to define your declutter goals is really essential to measuring how you do in the process. Here is a great SMART goals template you can use to help you create goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time based- Click here.
Step 4: Choose A Decluttering Method
The 4 Box Method
Here you will have worksheets to help you facilitate the 4 Box Method. What is the 4 Box Method? As the name suggests, you will create 4 boxes: Keep, Donate, Trash and Relocate. This is where you should really be honest with yourself and go back to the forward or backwards question regarding each item.
KonMari Method
Another strategy worksheet you will be able to use with The Ultimate Decluttering & Cleaning Planner is the KonMari Method. What is the KonMari Method you ask? KonMari is a method that encourages cleaning by categories not by location. This method also encourages breaking down categories into subcategories and only keeping items that spark joy in your life.
Step 5: Daily Decluttering
Make daily decluttering a thing in your life. If you work on it daily then it won't ever get to the point where it will overwhelm you.
Step 5: Create a cleaning plan
You will also be able to create a cleaning plan as part of your decluttering process. This means using the cleaning plan worksheet to set a schedule to do such things as dusting, vacuuming, deep cleaning and sanitizing. Also, write down who is responsible for doing these tasks when and how often.
Step 6: Create a post decluttering plan
Use this planner to also create and implement storage solutions that are easy for you to execute and maintain.
Establish new rules for yourself for going forward. Rules that will allow you to stay on top of your space or not let it get to the point it used to be.
Create accountability to hold yourself to your plan. You can even go as far as creating an Accountability contract. Here is a great printable accountability contract that you can use to help you. Read below to learn more about an Accountability contract.
What is an accountability contract? It is a document that you sign forcing you to be accountable to your goals
5. Decluttering Different Areas of Life
Here are some tips to keep in mind as you declutter different areas of your life.
Home
Here are some general tips to decluttering your home
- Remove all items from the cupboards and sort through them by categories
- Throw out items that are past expiration dates such as food and spices
- Sort through high junk areas such as your coffee table by tossing magazines or flyers that are just taking up space.
- Use storage bins and totes where possible to create better organization and access
Digital
Digital includes your inbox, files and social media. These are areas of clutter as well that might be causing you stress. Here's how you can keep your digital life clutter free as well:
Use tools available on each digital format such as labels and folders-Click the video below to learn how to create labels and folders on your Gmail account.
Color code your labels and folders based on different topics or categories- Click the video below to find out how to create labels in your email.
Purge non-essential emails, files or documents regularly. If you don't need them anymore, get rid of them regularly.
Mental
Decluttering as I mentioned in my introduction is not just about the physical act of getting rid of things you don't need. There is also a mental or emotional component to purging your space. It is also an opportunity for you to do an audit in the following areas of your life.
Your network
Are you holding unto friends or colleagues that are not really useful to your life anymore? Sometimes, you outgrow people but are still entertaining them because you feel obligated. Maybe, it's time to do a people audit. Who are some of the people in your life that are toxic and should be removed from your phone or email list? The best way to send someone out of your life is to say a little prayer for them wishing them well in life and then you move on. This allows you to not harbour anything negative toward them but can delete them with positivity in your heart toward them. It doesn't mean you will never talk to them again, it just means that you are re prioritizing your growth and how you manage the people in your growth and development process.
Your commitments
What are things that you have committed to that maybe you should not have? Are you bogging yourself down with an abundance of things? Have you been saying yes to any and every request made to you? Over committing yourself is also a point of clutter in your life. If you don't re organize and re prioritize them, then they can create stress and anxiety in your life. What I recommend is focusing on commitments that will enhance your development and or won't burn you out.
Your Information
What kinds of knowledge or information are you allowing into your head space? Is it positive? Is it fear driven? Does it promote growth? Again: Forwards or Backwards? If the information that you are taking in is not going to put you into a forward or future position then all it is doing is clogging up your brain. You will become what you take in, so take in good things.
Why Use my Ultimate Decluttering & Cleaning Planner?
Here are some key benefits of this Ultimate Decluttering & Cleaning Planner:
Daily Cleaning Checklist- This means you will stay on top of your cleaning goals daily. No more falling behind.
7 Day Decluttering Challenge-Tap into your competitive side and challenge yourself to a week of enhancing your decluttering goals. You will feel good about this challenge.
Personal development gains:
Minimalism- Live only with what you need- nothing more and nothing less.
Organization- An organized space makes you more productive. It just feels good.
Purge- Getting rid of the things you don't need is truly rewarding physically and mentally.
Simplify- A simplified space creates a simplified way of life across the board.
Letting go- The symbolism of letting go is massive to your development as a person.
Mindfulness- Choosing to declutter is an exercise in practising mindfulness.
6. Final Thoughts on Clear Space, Clear Mind
Having a clear space can really also clear your mind. First, you have to figure out why. What is motivating you to declutter? Then form some goals around your intention and hold yourself accountable. No process is perfect and neither is your decluttering process. The most important thing is to keep at it. Utilize great time management skills that will allow you to stay the course. The time is now to start, so get going on clearing your space.
Recommended Resources
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