Let me start by saying that I have met three types of people; those who will get instantly restless if they happen to see a minor dust patch on the table, those who think putting things in order is far too intimidating a task with no rewards, more or less a huge waste of time, and those who think out of sight (mess behind the closed door) is out of mind. We might navigate in all the above three categories depending on our state of mind and other things going on in life and we all know how the mind loves habits and hates change.
I cannot deny that there is no better feeling than waking up to a clean home or coming home to a clean space. Of course, one could argue that people and state of mind are big confounders on how you feel about coming home or waking up in a place you call home, and I agree to that; but if that is the case, then I would say address that fact too! Putting decluttering below on your to-do list is not going to help either; state of mind or pile of clutter.
So, what do we mean when we say declutter? Decluttering and cleaning the physical space go way beyond aesthetics, be it your home or work space. Whether it is pile of dishes in the sink, an uncleaned kitchen top, a decluttered drawer or library, a chair stacked with clothes, or a desk piled with papers or piles of wires and chargers, you will experience a negative effect of clutter on your daily life. As more and more things occupy the space, they somehow find a way to get in your peace of mind and cause an obstacle in clear thinking, which might lead to an increase in anxiety, even mood swings and boredom.
How to make decluttering a habit?
Starting with where you cook. As if cooking wasn’t already a daunting enough task for many of us, there comes the post-cleaning. The disorganized kitchen space is enough to keep you out of cooking, rather encourages behavior of eating out or ordering in. To tackle this, CLEAN AS YOU GO, which means while your vegetables are boiling and you have to wait to season it, clean up the chopping board and wash that tea mug. If you took out the bag of tomatoes, put it back in its own place once you are done. It sounds so simple and believe me, it is! It will make your experience and time in the kitchen much more pleasurable.
Your oasis, where you live. Try clearing a space, starting with a desk or a drawer, and see how positively that affects you in different ways. You feel calmer, happier and more relaxed instantly. Cleaning your space BEFORE YOU SLEEP AND BEFORE YOU LEAVE HOME, starting from putting clothes in the right place at night to making the bed in the morning, these tiny changes have so much to give in return and you will never be troubled with seeing the clutter first thing when you wake up or return home. After shopping, take time to place the things where they belong, that way you will find them quickly and use them often.
Many studies (see references below) have proven the psychological power of clearing out your space in various different areas of your life. For the sake of your overall health and happiness, take the time to declutter your life and start seeing the positive changes that occur.
Clutter can be a simple accumulation of stuff, which either you do not wish to give away or do not make enough time to look into it and take a call, as I always hear; yes, someday or one day I will do that. Sadly, that day never comes. Sometimes clutter is stuff which has piled up over time and now that the pile is so high, you run in a different direction or better, hide it in places you cannot see! Whatever it is, hoarding or just a pile of ignored stuff, clutter compromises an individual’s perception of home, and ultimately feelings of satisfaction with life.
Where you think. A pile of papers, clutter of wires and unused stationary are so uneasy for the eyes. Get in the habit of SORTING THOSE PAPERS as soon as they enter your vision. Make a dedicated and reachable place for bills, newsletters and bank documents, do not shove them in a drawer where you cannot find them. You can use binders with labels or paper organizers. Make a habit to sift through this file every quarter to get rid of things which you no longer need. The wires/chargers /headphones on the table can be placed in an open basket where you can easily find them and they do not get entangled or lost.
Now, I want you to do something for me. Think of something from the above which will take 5 minutes to get done: folding clothes, washing a coffee mug, starting a load of laundry or even changing the bedsheets. I want you to get that done RIGHT NOW. Do it and feel the magic. If the tasks seem longer than 10 minutes; like arranging a pantry, fridge or cupboard, divide the task and take small steps each day. I usually put a sticky note as a reminder on the cupboards which I intend to arrange. If you are new to this, please be patient and always believe in progress over perfection. Soon it will become second nature to you.
Below are some rewards of decluttering:
- You may experience less stress: The more stuff around you, the brain perceives it to be a task undone and you may ignore it but your brain does not. So, making the bed, cleaning the kitchen top or arranging the wires may be a good way to start adding to the mental peace along with other things in life.
- An increase in efficiency: You might feel more energetic on a clean and clear desk and may also feel like trying new things in your kitchen when your surroundings are organized.
- Learning to cut down to the essentials: Each time I have done some serious cleaning, I have realized how less we need and how grateful we are to have things. Start by re-evaluating the necessities of your home and ditch the items you should’ve gotten rid of a long time ago. If you find things sitting around that serve no purpose, don’t bring you particular joy, or you’ve forgotten then even exist, it is time to let it go.
I would say, start with an attitude of thanking the stuff which was with you for years and if that does not spark joy or you are done with it, find a home for it or donate it. It may seem scary but eventually, you’ll have to start making bigger changes and eliminating more from your life. Once your home life and your work life are physically cleaned out and minimized, your mind will be at ease.
Many studies have stressed that living with clutter impedes your identification with a place you call home as disorganized spaces put a low self-control mindset. A study proved that you could gravitate towards unhealthier choices of food if your kitchen is disorganized. A number of years ago, the University of Toronto’s Lynn Hasher proposed that mental clutter is one of the prime suspects in the cause of age-related memory losses. Her research today (Amer et al. 2016) continues to support that proposition.
Clearing the clutter can benefit your physical and mental health, self-esteem and cognitive abilities. Get out that trash bag, donate what you do not intend to use, arrange those bills. You will be able to enjoy your surroundings more when you can think more efficiently and cleanly.
REFERENCES
- Amer, T., Campbell, K. L., & Hasher, L. (2016). Cognitive control as a double-edged sword. Trends In Cognitive Sciences, 20(12), 905-915. doi:10.1016/j.tics.2016.10.002
- Bliese, P. D., Edwards, J. R., & Sonnentag, S. (2017). Stress and well-being at work: A century of empirical trends reflecting theoretical and societal influences. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102(3), 389-402. doi:10.1037/apl0000109
- Cutting, J. E., & Armstrong, K. L. (2016). Facial expression, size, and clutter: Inferences from movie structure to emotion judgments and back. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics, 78(3), 891-901. doi:10.3758/s13414-015-1003-5
- Roster, C. A., Ferrari, J. R., & Jurkat, M. P. (2016). The dark side of home: Assessing possession ‘clutter’ on subjective well-being. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 4632-41. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2016.03.003
- Vartanian, L. R., Kernan, K. M., & Wansink, B. (2017). Clutter, chaos, and overconsumption: The role of mind-set in stressful and chaotic food environments. Environment and Behavior, 49(2), 215-223. doi:10.1177/0013916516628178