A cluttered
space leads to a cluttered mind!
Too many knick-knacks, scattered belongings, and overflowing drawers may seem harmless, however, research indicates clutter in your physical
environment creates clutter in your mind.
A cluttered space sends signals to your
brain suggesting there is too much work to do which triggers a stress response
in your body. Ongoing images of disorganization—in your home and workspace—can drain your cognitive function, reducing your ability to focus.
In addition to higher levels of stress, clutter can make one feel anxious,
cause difficultly sleeping, and even lessen one’s satisfaction with life.
Here’s the irony about clutter…whether
its piles of books in your bedroom, excessive clothes in your closet, or papers
strewn across your desk / digital desktop, even if you do nothing with these, you’ll expend energy on them.
If you don’t organize or complete these, you
will still think about them (as in “I really should have done ‘X’…,”) and / or
you’ll feel guilty because you haven’t taken action or because you have been
meaning to clean up that messy space.
Jack Canfield says, “Your physical environment should inspire you, not expire you.”
Given that you expend energy on your stuff
anyway, why not channel your energy in a positive manner and clean up your
messes? If you don’t know where to start, below are 7 helpful tips to declutter
your home space and 7 tips to simplify and organize your workspace.
7 Tips to Declutter Your Home Space
The first three tips noted below are
from organizing consultant and author of “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying
Up,” Marie Kondo. Kondo’s simplification
methods have become so popular, they’ve spawned a cult-like following of fans
who call themselves Konverts.
- Keep only what “sparks joy.”
- Discard anything and everything else.
- Assign a place for everything in your home.
- Donate any clothing you haven’t worn in the last year (unless it’s a special occasion outfit.)
- Follow the “One In, One Out” rule—when you bring a new item into your home, get rid of something else.
- Be selective with new purchases—don’t buy something just because it’s on sale or just because you might need it one day. As an added bonus, this tip is great for your budget, too!
- Use storage boxes, bins, and containers for quick organization, and label them for easy retrieval.
- To efficiently work through stacks of paper (or overflowing digital folders,) use the “4 D” process: Do the task; Delegate; Delay (put it in a read folder and read it within one week); or Dump.
- Take action on each item that touches your workspace—paper or digital—even if said action is to put it in your “read” folder. This removes the item from your desktop or inbox and eliminates rework.
- Reduce visual clutter by hiding or clipping together your monitor, computer, laptop, printer, phone, and charger wires.
- Don’t get discouraged...follow Lao Tzu's wisdom: “The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Each day organize one file, one shelf, or one drawer, and before you know it, you’ll see a material difference in your workspace!
- Label your files, folders, cabinets…label everything! It will save time later.
- Use a whiteboard to keep critical tasks, projects, inspirational quotes, and/or affirmations in an organized, front of mind manner.
- Declutter and organize your computer desktop—delete folders, apps, pictures, and anything you don’t use. Organize individual items into folders and use digital sticky notes.
Use these tips to clean and organize your
personal and professional space. When you clear clutter from your physical
environment, you open space in your life for new opportunities and experiences.
“You
can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.”
—Louise Smith
*
This blog was written by Sedona Hutton, author of
contemporary and romantic fiction sprinkled with spirituality.
To sign up for my Peace,
Love, & Joy blog newsletter, please click here: https://www.sedonahutton.com/.
CLOUD WHISPERS: A novel of family and forgiveness with a strong spiritual message: The daughter she gave away. The family she always wanted. The journey to redefine her fate….
Reader Review Excerpt: “A beautifully woven story filled with love,
loss, betrayal and renewal. It touches the heart of the reader as life unfolds
for Liam and Katie. Peppered throughout the story are spiritual awakenings and
life lessons which help to clarify many of the “why’s” in each of our lives.
While Cloud Whispers includes passionate love stories, it also feeds your spirt
and renews your soul. The gifts from this novel are unforgettable.”
CLOUD WHISPERS Awards - IPPY Bronze medal winner for visionary fiction,
Reader’s Favorite Finalist for visionary fiction, and an Official Selection in
the Summer eBook Awards for New Apple Literary. CLOUD WHISPERS purchase link:
https://amzn.to/2IZ6DRc.
Recommended
Reading:
Life Changing Magic of Tidying by Marie Kondo: https://amzn.to/3dqM1hY
The Success Principles by Jack Canfield: https://amzn.to/39SgKSt
Disclosure: The above links to recommended books are affiliate links. If you buy the book through these links, I receive a small commission on the sale. I’ve recommended these books because they’ve been meaningful to me personally and not because of the affiliate program. However, from a legal perspective, I need to identify these as affiliate links.
Photo by Wonderlane
on Unsplash.
