Have you ever heard the saying, “A cluttered house is a cluttered mind?”
According to science, a messy, untidy space may be just as damaging to your mental health as eating junk food is to your physical health.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to refocus your mind and declutter your life with a step-by-step spring cleaning checklist.
We’ll start by highlighting how clutter affects your brain.
The Negative Psychological Effects of Clutter
Research shows living with clutter can lead to:
1. Lower overall well being. Your messy home and office become stressful instead of relaxing or productive environments.
2. Overeating. A chaotic, stressful setting may trigger cravings for sugary snacks to cope.
3. Trouble processing visual cues. Clutter makes it harder to read other people’s emotional reactions, facial expressions, and feelings. This could lead to increased miscommunication and arguments.
4. Less efficient thinking. When physical clutter creates “mental clutter,” it’s difficult for your brain to ignore irrelevant information. Cutting through this tangle of clutter means thinking takes longer.
5. Age-related memory loss, which has been associated with higher rates of mental clutter.
Those reasons make it crystal clear: it’s time to cut clutter out of your life.
How to Refocus Your Mind and Cut Out Clutter
Follow this action plan to declutter your space:
Step 1: Get Organized, Not Overwhelmed
Clutter can be overwhelming.
And things aren’t going to change overnight.
Setting a goal and creating a plan to reach it will give you a roadmap to follow so you’re organized, not overwhelmed.
Think about why you’re eager to take on the decluttering process. Things will get tough, but this reason will be your motivation to keep going.
Step 2: Tackle the Rooms or Spaces You Use Most First
When there’s clutter everywhere, it can be hard to figure out where to begin.
The best game plan? Focus on the places where you spend the most time.
Is your cluttered bedroom making it hard to sleep at night? Is your overflowing kitchen preventing you from cooking healthy meals?
Clearing these areas will have the biggest, most immediate impact on your mental health.
Step 3: Start Small
After you choose a room to work in, start with one small area at a time. You can choose a corner, a bookshelf, a desk, etc.
Only focus on this one space until it’s completely free of clutter.
Completing each section builds positive momentum, so you may find it easier to keep going.
But it’s best to work in short 10-minute bursts as opposed to hour-long sessions. The former will keep motivation high; the latter will kill your evening or weekend and leave you exhausted.
Step 4: Don’t Reintroduce Clutter Back In
To prevent clutter from creeping back in your spaces, you’ll need to break some habits and start new ones.
Before you bring anything into your home or office, ask yourself if it’s really worth coming into your sacred space.
Like the famous organizer Marie Kondo says, if it doesn’t bring you joy, it’s not worth the clutter.
Continue with a daily 10-minute declutter of your home or office. You’ll be amazed by what these few minutes will do for your space and your mental health.
Ready to Declutter Your Life and Refocus Your Mind?
Physical clutter in your home or office creates mental clutter that affects your mood and thinking.
So it’s time to declutter your life and refocus your mind once and for all.
Consider where your declutter efforts will make the most difference and start there. Then stick to 10-minutes of decluttering every day, just like practicing your daily meditation.
You’ll improve your mental health and have a shiny home or office to show off in no time.
Author: Devan Ciccarelli
Email: devan@behappynothangry.com
Instagram/Facebook Group: @behappynothangry/Be Happy Not Hangry
Website: www.behappynothangry.com
