Author Chuck Palahniuk wrote, “The things you own end up owning you.” We’ve just gone through a season in which the message of the holiday being about more than just “things” and getting presents contrasted directly with stores’ mega sales. The day after Thanksgiving, where we try to feel grateful for what we have, included Black Friday sales that start on that same day. Many of us just recently filled our homes with new items, getting rid of the old…or simply shoving things into a new place to find room. Yet many of us feel the clutter in our homes makes us feel cluttered in our minds as well. We give ourselves too many choices and may feel paralyzed because we can’t land on one decision. So, this new year, try decluttering instead — start with actual, tangible items and watch how your mind follows suit.
- When we have too much clutter, we have trouble making decisions. Have you ever had the (fortunate) problem of standing in front of your closet deciding what to wear? Sometimes simply having too much means we feel stuck. Which decision will have the best result? The bottom line is if you declutter and get rid of the things that don’t serve you in some positive way, you’ll be left with the ones that do. This, in turn, allows you to make decisions more confidently and more efficiently with a better chance that they’ll have a positive effect on your life.
- Clutter adds to stress. One problem with too much clutter? We also can’t prioritize; we have trouble deciding what’s the most important. Moreover, we don’t know where to start, whether cleaning up a room or figuring out which project to tackle next at work. The awareness of the clutter leads to constant stress, either low or high, because you feel you’re second-guessing yourself (Should I make this choice? What about this one instead? Which one???). Getting rid of literal clutter allows your space and your mind to clear because you’ve made each decision less stressful.
- How much do we really need? The saying “less is more” really does have merit. Marie Kondo of the Konmari Method has millions of satisfied customers who have used her method to, in her words, “tidy” their lives and in turn, feel more satisfied with what they have left. Her basic method includes decluttering by asking if the object brings joy. If not, out it goes from your house and life. You are left with a cleaner, more open space filled with only what makes you happy. And while we live in a society where we constantly get enticed with deals to get more, buy this, improve your life with that, if we simply had less clutter in our lives, we’d feel freer and happier with the knowledge we don’t need all the “stuff” we thought we did.
Decluttering your life will help you feel more in control in your spaces and your mind. For advice on any other medical matter, visit the recruiting professionals at Medical Professionals.
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