As the winter season ends and the spring and summer season arrives, so comes the inevitable and burning desire to clean and to clear out the clutter around me. It is human nature to accumulate, as we live out our lives. It is usually a sign of a life well lived, but if we do not create a regular decluttering practice, we can find ourselves overwhelmed and drowning under too many physical possessions.
Physical items hold energy, emotions, memories and they take up space. What are we keeping to maybe use one day? What old gift is sitting in our closet from a beloved friend or family member? How many clothes are we keeping in the hopes of one day fitting in them again?
Some ways to reduce the physical clutter in a sustainable way:
1. Remove 3 unused and unloved things per day or week.
2. Before buying something new, get rid of at least one item.
3. Put things away in their designated place to avoid buying something you already have.
4. Take 15 min each evening to reset the home by clearing surfaces and putting things away in order to have a clean start the next day.
As I clean up my home spaces in preparation for summer adventures and newness, I also make the time to take stock of what is inside my head space. Physical clutter is easy to see, but mental clutter is invisible to the eye. Sometimes we live on autopilot and we continue to tell outdated stories. As we face new life cycles and undergo life transitions, these stories and thoughts can become heavy and impact the way we live our lives. We can let go of these thoughts and stories the same way we let go of physical items. We can celebrate their previous use and purpose and let them go, creating space for something new.
Questions to help reduce mental clutter in a sustainable way:
1. Do any stories I tell create a negative sensation in my body?
2. What narratives am I holding onto that no longer resonate with the person I am today?
3. If this story is essential to keep, can I create a more empowering version of this story that feels better when I share it?
4. Are there any thoughts and fears living in my head that are not mine to hold? Do they belong to someone else, like a well-intentioned auntie or grandma? If yes, let them go with love.
In a time abundant of distractions and noise, the intentional maintenance of our home space AND our internal mental home space is more important than ever. Here is what I know for sure: Words and language hold energy and power. Thoughts become emotions and emotions can become things. It is important to curate our physical and mental surroundings.
Good luck to everyone tackling spring cleaning projects!
