How Decluttering Your Physical Space Can Help Clear Out Your Mind

how to declutter good for mental health

Come on, let’s face it. Who doesn’t love a good sort out? With so many apps to spend our days scrolling through and the rise of charity shop trawling becoming a serious hobby, the ability to collect trinkets and stock up on clothes, books and gadgets has become seriously easy. Perhaps too easy.

The result? Our lives end up becoming just full of stuff. Some super meaningful and others, erm, perhaps not so much. (Now, to just find a space for that super shiny crab bell…) But in all honesty, from floordrobe to no more drobe, discover how decluttering in a physical sense can help to clear out any cobwebs you may have in your mind. Let’s go.

Why decluttering is good for you

how to declutter, organize, have a clear out mental wellbeing

 Image by Sarah Brown

A fresh perspective

Okay, so here at the Content Wolf Magazine, we love a good accessory. Bags, scarves and endless items to make our friends go oooooh. We’re here for it. But, have you ever noticed even though you absolutely had to have that life-changing trilby that would no doubt just make that outfit and give your peers fashion envy, it’s still sat there six months later – tag firmly attached et al? Yeah, us neither…

But okay, I’m sure we have all been that person and we feel the saying ‘use it or lose it’ should firmly apply. The bottom line? Looking at so much stuff can make you feel somewhat stale. And nobody wants that. To gain a fresh outward perspective, some things just simply have to go. And the best part? That perspective filters through to other parts of your life. Trust us. When you’re feeling ultra forward-thinking, you can achieve greatness. Whether it’s the push to apply for your dream role, get going on a secret passion or just sit and brainstorm.

Channel your inner and outer Marie Kondo – yep, you were waiting for that reference, huh? “The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.” Yes, Marie Kondo. All the yes.

How do you stop cluttering?

It sounds so simple. Just clear out a few things and you’re good to go. Except it’s not that simple is it? There’s like, a whole process to this organising stuff. If you’re someone who is a bit all over the place, it’s time to get yourself into tidying shape. There are soooo many rewards to decluttering, we promise.

You can actually find things

Wanna put together a banging birthday outfit or flawless wedding wear? Pre-declutter, that would induce much agony over FaceTime with the gals and a display of outer turmoil while trying to enjoy that glass of wine that has suddenly displayed the ability to tip you over the edge. Cue “I don’t understand why NOTHING fits me” to “I don’t even want to go out now anyway.” Your stress levels start to build. So not the way to get in the celebratory mood.

By binning old clothes with holes the legit size of moles and packing up your outdated apparel for the charity shops and clothing bins, you’ll actually be able to seamlessly feel your way through the clothes that you’ve dedicated your time to keeping and showing off your best self. Pass the prosecco and positive vibes.

The chance to get creative

When faced with the task of getting rid of the old, it provides you with the opportunity to think of what you can do in the new. And we’re not talking about buying new stuff. Drop that from your mind for the mo. Instead, consider this. The chance to create and innovate. Even if you’re not necessarily getting rid of the old, by putting things away into their rightful places, you’re left with a type of blank canvas and the ability to see what could be. 

And one of the great things about creativity is that everyone’s interpretation is different. Maybe you want to get physically creative with the help of decluttering. Are you someone who has lots of random fabric or material stashed away with the hopes of doing something, anything with it? Maybe your declutter spree has made you notice your fave desk chair could do with a little upcycling. Two birds, you get it. 

But you can also unleash your inner creativity simply by making some room. Whether this means putting pen to paper or finally picking up that guitar. By creating a clutter-free space around you, you give your mind the space it might need to create. 

Creating calm amongst the chaos

From hectic work schedules, some of which involve juggling two or more jobs, hobbies and passions, make no mistake about it, our lives are busy. How many times do you hear people bragging about just how BUSY they are, darling?

Well, in a world which shows no signs of slowing down and with everything available on speed dial, the one area which could probably quiet on down is your physical space. Looking around at stuff when you’re trying to create a sense of calm can have the opposite effect. That’s right. Stuff can seriously stress you out. 

How does decluttering reduce stress?

In fact, certain studies have shown a link between messy environments and an increase of the stress hormone cortisol. Not to mention the ability to distract the hell out of what you might otherwise be trying to achieve. If you want to channel your inner zen, you need to keep your space a clear area in which mindfulness can just flow on through. You also don’t have the constant inclination to get up and put all the tat away. Winning all round, really.

An easy clean

Do you ever wonder how much easier your life would be if you could just pull a Sabrina and click everything clean? Us too. But the sheer volume of ornaments, possibly on their way out plants and outdated birthday cards – yep 30 happened and it’s time to move on – make the task of a little dust and polish feel completely unachievable. 

By adopting a more minimalist mindset means that a.) you don’t have to cautiously spend 30 minutes moving things off tabletops and windowsills before painstakingly putting them all back in their place (cue, stress) b,) you don’t have to worry about pulling a lazy move and work your way around each object to give the impressions of cleanliness (cue, anxiety), and c.) less dust lingering and more lounging, hun. 

With less stuff cluttering up your space, you have a more open space to adopt a more open attitude. And yes, more time to focus on you.

So how about it – fancy a de-clutter? From opening up creative doors to actually being able to open up some doors, decluttering your physical environment can do wonders for your mind. 

Minimalism is mega babe. You heard it here first. Although you can hold on to that crab bell. There’s always room for a crab bell or two in everyone’s lives. Ding ding. Case in point. Now, time to get started on clearing out your stuff and clearing out that busy mind.

Main image by Jeff Sheldon

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