Your home is supposed to be your sanctuary. Yet, for many of us, our homes represent another headache. Tables are covered in bills, draws are overflowing with items, and the sofa is covered in dog hair.
Fortunately, you don’t need to become Kim Woodburn to run an organized household. Some simple decluttering tips can keep your home looking great and bring down your blood pressure.
Mindful decluttering can be a real boost to your mental health and leave you with a space that looks great.
The Mindful Mindset
Mindfulness is a nurturing practice that helps you bring awareness to your surroundings, thoughts, feelings, and emotions. However, you don’t need to sit cross-legged in a quiet room to practice mindfulness, as mindfulness can be used during almost every activity.
Bring a mindful mindset to your decluttering by calming yourself first and focusing on the here and now. Don’t judge the clutter in the room you are choosing to clean, but accept it in the state it is currently in. Pool all of the tools you’ll need to complete a thorough declutter, and consider playing some quiet, calming music in the background.
As you start to declutter, take time to use all of your senses. Try to feel each object that you pick up and put away, and pay attention to the texture of towels or toys. Notice how your space slowly becomes cleaner as you put in the effort to declutter and find joy in the cleanliness. Use your sense of smell after you’ve hoovered or wiped down your surfaces, and breathe the smell of cleanliness in.
Of course, decluttering the way will take more time than a quick clean-up. However, mindful decluttering can help you find joy in the practice of cleaning and lead to more sustainable, healthy behavior in the long term.
Decluttering Each Room
Taking the time to declutter can improve your wellbeing and help you feel more comfortable at home. However, mindful decluttering is time-consuming and might not yield any noticeable results if you try to clean every room in your house at the same time.
Instead, try to focus on one room at a time and take reflective notes on the area itself. Journalling is a great mindfulness practice and helps bring awareness to the way you interact with a space. Note down any changes you would like to make, and consider setting aside funds for structural changes to the area.
If you have a home office, you may want to reconsider the way you store and organize your work materials. Creating the perfect home office takes time and planning. Use your mindful practice to notice any changes you want to make to your current setup. Investing in things like cable management systems and wireless keyboards and mouse make a huge difference to the overall cleanliness of your space.
Sustainable Decluttering
It’s always tempting to throw all of your stuff away when decluttering. But, before you start throwing out half-used pens and last week’s paper, consider if there is a more sustainable approach you could take.
Taking a sustainable approach to decluttering can do wonders for your mental wellbeing. You can skip the guilt around decluttering by donating old items and recycling whenever possible.
Sustainable decluttering is particularly important when reorganizing your bedroom storage. You can save space in small closets by taking out each item of clothing and asking yourself when you wore it last. If it’s been more than a year, put it in the “to go” pile. Instead of throwing it out with the rubbish, donate it to your local charity shop.
Try to use sustainable cleaning products, too. Harmful products are often toxic and may limit your ability to enter a mindfulness mindset. Instead of using heavy-duty cleaners, stick to natural solutions that support the environment and allow you to breathe deeply without worrying about inhaling harmful fumes.
Setting A Stopping Point
Mindful decluttering can be a great way to reset your mindset while cleaning up your space. However, you aren’t supposed to mindfully declutter for hours on end as this will likely lead to cleaning burnout.
Instead, set a clear goal and write it down. It can be as simple as “clean until the tables are clean” or “reorganize the kitchen cupboards.” By setting a firm stopping point, you can slowly exit a mindful state and return to your normal life with greater awareness and a deeper sense of calm.
Conclusion
Mindful decluttering can be a stress-busting way to spend your time. Start by choosing a room to clean thoroughly and really spend your time getting everything in order before you call it a day. Try to use all your senses when cleaning and reflect on the process of cleaning after you finish. Just be sure to set a clear stopping point to avoid cleaning burnout.