Mental Clarity | The Key To Decluttering Your Home
Where does all this clutter come from? This is a sentence I hear repeatedly. I will tell you where the clutter comes from. The clutter comes from buying too much stuff. The clutter also comes from accepting stuff from family members that maybe you do not want, like when a family member declutters their home or dies and you inherit the stuff.
Most things today come fast, furious and generally with a price tag. This adds to both our physical and mental clutter. I recognized some time ago that just because I could do or buy something didn’t mean I had to.
What Do I Mean?
An example is that just because a new phone comes on the market regularly does not mean I have to trade my current reliable phone. I kept my iPhone 5 or SE, I think it was called, until the 11 became available because I didn’t need any of the new features. When the camera upgrade on the iPhone 11 came along, I decided this was a feature that would save me a lot of time. This, to me, is an example of mental clarity.
The connection between mental clarity and a tidy living environment is profound, and it’s a topic that has gained increasing attention in recent years. Everything starts in our minds. It is not hard to thread the needle that our thoughts contribute to our clutter.
Retrain Your Brain
I learned how to declutter my mind years ago, though I didn’t think of the never-ending loop of negative thoughts racing around in my head as clutter. For me, learning a few mindset techniques made all the difference. Once I could get my racy, negative mind sorted out, clarity broke through little by slow.
Learning how to replace negative thoughts with healthy habits is the best way to reduce a cluttered mind. I did this through writing in a free-form stream of consciousnes style that I learned from Julia Cameron, the author of The Artist Way.
Beginning the practice of writing ‘morning pages’ 30 years ago was one of the best habits I ever trained myself to do.
This business of writing is so awesome for so many reasons. I have been facilitating groups of people for years, showing them how to make writing a habit. I have seen success after success as a result. Writing or journaling works. We all have the answers inside of us, and the next step we should take always come out on the page with consistent writing.
This post may contain affiliate links for which I may receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you.
The Mental Clutter Connection
It’s no secret that our external environment often reflects our internal state. When our minds are cluttered with mental to-do lists, worries, and distractions, it can be challenging to maintain an organized living space. Although I always acted opposite this because cleaning calms me.
A cluttered home can contribute to feelings of overwhelm and mental clutter, not to mention frustration and the inability to focus.The process of decluttering begins in your mind. Before you can tackle the physical clutter, it’s essential to address the mental clutter.
Take time to reflect on what’s causing mental chaos—whether it’s toxic self-talk, resistance to making decisions. unresolved issues, excessive commitments, or negative thought patterns. Identifying and addressing these mental clutter sources can be the first step toward a clearer mind and a tidier home.
The Power of Encouragement and Company
I have learned just how huge a task decluttering is for some folks, especially those who feel overwhelmed, isolated, and chronically ill with mobility issues. I am seeing how productive a support group is. The support can come from your best friend, a family member, or a social media group of strangers linked together by a singleness of purpose.
This is where the necessary power of encouragement and companionship comes into play. In your social media groups, you’ve likely witnessed firsthand how offering support and companionship can motivate individuals to begin their decluttering and other journeys. When this happens, it also confirms to you how far you have come in your journey.
Strength in Numbers
Loneliness and a lack of accountability can and often does hinder progress. I have found accountability and consistency are key to progress of any nature and decluttering is no exception. This is why 12 step groups work so well. Who can help an alcoholic better, for instance, than an another recovering alcoholic that has been there and done that?
Like minded people motivate each other. Strength is seen in numbers. Providing companionship and encouragement can be a game-changer for those seeking to declutter both their homes and minds.
Creative Ideas to Reach Your Goals
There are a number of things you can utilize to rach your goals. Key here is knowing what your goals are. Where do you want to get to? What do you want? What do the changes you are seeking look like?
A buddy system is one of the easiest ways to get the job done.
Social media groups help many.
Visualization techniques are a great tool I use.
Before and after pictures offer a great pat on the back for a job well done.
Intending the outcome to be the way you want it is powerful.
Each morning my day begins with writing. This occurs before I open up a phone, device or computer. During my writing I ‘intend’ the way I want my day to go. I do this daily whether I want to or not because my life began to change when I started this habit 30 years ago.
Life happens and sometimes I can’t write in the morning. I either write later or don’t write at all that day. One thing I definitely do not do is beat myself up over missing a writing session.
Practical Steps to Declutter Your Mind
Journaling
Like I mentioned writing is my jam. You don’t have to be a writer to do the kind of writing I am describing. Stream of consciousness writing is just what it sounds like, others call this a brain dump. Get a fancy hard bound journal or a cheap spiral notebook like I use and just write whatever you happen to be thinking of that moment. Do not give a thought to spelling, grammar or penmanship. This writing is for your eyes only.
Writing down your thoughts and feelings is a great way to show you the patterns of your life. These emerging patterns will give you the opportunity to address them and make changes. Do not overthink this. The answers you are looking for are inside you now, you just have to excavate them.
Your ideas and solutions will pour onto the blank page from the tip of your pen, or keyboard if you prefer. I know this is hard to believe. Try it anyway and stick with it.
Moving On
I have facilitated many groups of people discovering that the power to turn their lives around is in their own hands. We get stuck on past mistakes and other obstacles and stand still when all we want is to move forward and make a difference. There are simple techniques to teach us how to change this.
The challenge is not the how, there are many good teachers, rather it is the discipline needed to be consistent. Consistency becomes easy when you make your goal your top priority and immerse yourself in it.
Practice Mindfulness
Engage in mindfulness techniques such as meditation or deep breathing exercises to calm your mind and reduce mental clutter.
We have so many distractions today I had to find a simple way throughout my day to refocus on whatever I was doing before I got off track. I have read it takes 23 minutes to refocus our minds when we become distracted. This is a lot of lost unproductive time.
My magic is my practice of taking deep breaths in and out. The long breaths in and out reminds me to slow down and ground myself again. I breathe out stress and breathe in peace. My mental clarity returns and I continue on whatever path I am on. These small steps pay huge dividends for a juggler like me.
Set Realistic Goals
An excellent way to begin anything is to set yourself up for a win. Each win in your action plan makes a huge difference to keep you motivated. Breaking down your important tasks such as your decluttering goals into smaller, manageable tasks will prove to be of great benefit. This approach can prevent feeling overwhelmed and boost your sense of accomplishment.
Seek Support
This is what I mean when I talked about the power of encouragement. Some people, like me, are stubborn and don’t need help, so we think. ‘Thank you very much but I can do this my way’ was my MO for years until my back was to the wall and I surrendered. At that point I humbly and gladly accepted help. Looking back today I see how illogical my thinking was back then.
The Ripple Effect of Mental Clarity
As we begin to declutter our minds and homes ripple effects will occur. Mental clarity can lead to improved focus, reduced stress, and enhanced overall well-being. A clean organized living space creates a more peaceful environment, contributing to a sense of calm and harmony.
This positive cycle reinforces itself. A clear mind fosters an organized home, and an orderly living environment supports mental clarity. Together, they create a harmonious balance that promotes personal growth and happiness.
Change
I learned and teach others how manageable it is to change our circumstances one step at a time. I have reinvented myself several times and each time it gets easier and better! If I can do this anyone can.
Change is simple in theory, some days easier than others, and not a quick fix. Although with consistency light bulbs will begin to twinkle, and these moments propel us to find more insights. With clear priorities and simple actions, action being the operative word, changing our daily routine a step at a time is much closer than you think.
Decluttering as a Form of Self-Care
It’s essential to recognize that decluttering is not just a chore; it’s a form of self-care. When you prioritize decluttering your mind and living space, you are investing in your mental and emotional well-being. This perspective shift can make the decluttering process more meaningful and satisfying.
Emphasize the positive aspects of decluttering, such as the sense of accomplishment, the peace that comes with an organized space, and the reduced mental burden. Approach decluttering with self-compassion and a focus on self-improvement rather than perfection. There is no such thing as perfect, work with it. I am a recovering perfectionist and this makes my life a lot simpler.
Form Healthy Daily Habits
I once witnessed a conversation between 2 people. One person rather harshly told the other in a stern way that any self respecting person gets out of bed in the morning and makes the bed.
This act of bed making speaks to self care and the fact everyone deserves to get into a clean, well made bed at night. Unless you are fortunate enough to have a housekeeper, this task falls into your competent hands.
Replace not so healthy habits with healthy habits
The Ongoing Journey of Decluttering
Decluttering is not a one-time task, it’s an ongoing journey consisting of forming new habits and engaging consistently in new routine tasks. Setbacks will happen. Just continue on, picking up, where you left off. Life is dynamic, and new clutter will accumulate over time if you let it.
You will find improvement in whatever you are doing by practicing consistency. Understand that decluttering is a process, not a one time task. You will likely embrace the new as you realize how much easier it is to maintain your choice of lifestyle.
Celebrating Success!
Celebrate your successes, no matter how small they may seem! Recognize and acknowledge your efforts and progress. Take to heart the wisdom in not going alone, and sharing your journey with another or a group of like minded people. You will see that positive reinforcement and validation can be powerful motivators.
The connection between mental clarity and a tidy living environment is undeniable. Decluttering begins in your mind, and when you address mental clutter, you pave the way for a more organized and peaceful you and home.
Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutter-er and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.
For more Declutter Buzz & Freebies check out our safe and private Decluttering community on our Facebook page. We are a safe and private space of like minded folks tackling this all encompassing clutter thing once and for all. No shame allowed! We will have a few laughs too!
To see more articles like this, please like and follow me. Thank you!
