Getting Rid Of Clutter In The New Year
By: Michelle Richards
It is not a secret that New Year's resolutions are often not very successful. In fact, According to the U.S. News and World Report, 80% of resolutions made on January 1st will fail by mid-February. Ongoing goals, such as exercising more and losing weight are often difficult to live up to because they require long-term commitment and a lot of discipline. However, one short-term, realistic goal that you can make is de-cluttering; purging your home of items that you no longer need. What better time to declutter than after the holidays, after receiving new items, when putting away the holiday decorations, and looking for a fresh start.
“Tidying your physical space allows you to tend to your psychological space.” -Marie Kondo
According to Sherrie Bourg Carter, Psy.D., Clutter in our homes can make us feel anxious and stressed (Psychology Today). Why is this?
Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile, etc), making it difficult mentally and physically relax because these stimuli send signals to our brains that we need to keep working.
Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from our primary focuses.
Clutter creates feelings of guilt (i.e., "I should be more organized"), anxiety (i.e., “Will I ever get to the bottom of this pile?”), and embarrassment when others witness our messy spaces.
Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by the spaces in which we usually think, brainstorm, and problem solve.
Clutter frustrates us by making it difficult to locate things that we need quickly.
So, where do you start the de-cluttering process? According to Carter, clutter is one of the easiest stressors in our lives to fix; here are some of her ideas on how to handle it.
Don't tackle the job alone. Get the whole family involved, starting with one room that everyone uses and holding each person responsible for a certain section. If you're on your own, start with one area at a time and finish decluttering that area before moving on to the next. This will give you a sense of accomplishment as you slowly see the fruits of your labor.
Create designated spaces (such as drawers and cabinets) for frequently-used items and supplies so that you can quickly and easily find what you're looking for when you need it. Try to make these designated spaces "closed" spaces, as "storing" things on open shelves or on top of a desk does not remove stress-inducing visual stimuli.
If you don't use it, don't want it, or don't need it, get rid of it. You can toss it, recycle it, or donate. If you have an item that you rarely use, store it in a box in the garage to leave easy-access space for things you use more often. Also, put a date on the box. If you haven't opened that box in a year, whatever is inside is probably not an item that you need.
When you take something out of its designated space to use it, put it back immediately after you're finished with it. It may sound simple, but this actually takes practice and commitment.
Don't let papers pile up. Random papers, such as mail, flyers, menus, memos, and newspapers, are often 'Public Enemy #1' when it comes to stressful clutter. Instead, go through these papers as soon as you can, tossing what you don't need and storing what is necessary in its proper place.
Create a pending folder. A pending folder helps you clear off your work space while at the same time provides you with a readily accessible folder to centralize and easily locate pending projects.
De-clutter your primary work space before you leave it. It's normal to pull things out while you're working in a space, but make a habit of cleaning off your work space once you are done working. Not only will this give you a sense of closure when you leave, but it will also make it easier to start again if you are returning to a nice, clean space.
Make it fun! As you clean, put on some of your favorite tunes; the more up-beat, the better! It will make the time pass faster, and, you'll probably work faster than you would without it.
Cheers to the fresh New Year ahead of us. By beginning the year 2022 with less clutter, you will start fresh with calmer mind, body, and soul.
“To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived that purpose.” -Marie Kondo □
Article Credits:
Why Mess Causes Stress: 8 Reasons, 8 Remedies, Sherrie Bourg Carter, Psy.D.
Research shows up to 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail by mid-February, Mackenzie Amundsen
Photo Credits:
Photo 1: Roman Bozhko via Unsplash
Photo 2: Kevin Bhagat via Unsplash
