How Decluttering Reduces Stress

In the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, stress often seems like an inevitable companion. The constant bombardment of stimuli, both physical and digital, can leave us feeling overwhelmed and fatigued. However, there’s a simple and effective antidote to this modern malaise: decluttering. In this blog post, we’ll explore the profound ways of how decluttering reduces stress, unraveling the therapeutic benefits of simplifying our physical and mental spaces.

Welcome to my Year Long Thorough Declutter Series. We declutter 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Each day we do a daily task based on the room we are working on. Today, our task is to start decluttering your clutter in your living room. If you prefer watching videos, check out my youtube channel here. Today, we’ll look at some tips for decluttering any unwanted decor’ in your living room.

The best way to develop a new habit is by slowly and daily application. We will begin a new daily declutter habit starting with the 2nd bathroom. In the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series, we will declutter 30 minutes a day, five days a week on weekdays. Sign up to receive daily encouragement and motivation.

Plus, you’ll learn your specific daily task to work toward completing the goal of a Year Long Thorough Declutter where you will declutter every space and learn how to start to purge your house. Are you ready to finally get organized? If so, will you join us? Leave a comment below to subscribe.

If you are new to the blog, welcome! I blog about cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. You can find my free printables to help you get organized in the drop down menu under the Printables category.

Currently we are working on how to unclutter the Living Room. The daily task for today, Dec. 11, 2023, is to begin to declutter any unwanted decor’ in your living room. Remember, we are focusing on just the living room area, so don’t declutter your whole house. We will cover each room separately.

5 Ways Decluttering Reduces Stress

Physical Clutter, Mental Clutter

The state of our physical environment has a direct impact on our mental well-being. When our living and working spaces are cluttered, it can create a chaotic and stressful atmosphere. The visual noise generated by piles of belongings can overwhelm our senses and make it challenging to focus. One of the ways that decluttering reduces stress is the improvement in our physical spaces. Decluttering can create a more organized and serene environment, allowing our minds to relax and function more efficiently.

The Psychology of Decluttering

The act of decluttering is not merely a physical exercise; it’s also a psychological one. Making decisions about what to keep, donate, or discard forces us to confront our attachment to material possessions. This psychological effort is another way decluttering reduces stress. This process can be liberating, as it encourages us to let go of items that no longer serve a purpose or bring us joy. In doing so, we release ourselves from the emotional baggage associated with clutter, fostering a sense of lightness and freedom.

A Breathing Space for Creativity

A clutter-free environment provides a canvas for creativity to flourish. When our surroundings are tidy and organized, our minds are free to explore new ideas and solutions without the distraction of disorder. The mental space created by decluttering allows for clearer thinking and problem-solving. Decluttering reduces stress by enabling us to approach challenges with a fresh perspective and greater resilience when we aren’t distracted by the clutter.

Stress Reduction through Mindfulness

The process of decluttering itself can be a relaxing and mindful practice. As we sort through our belongings and decide what to keep, we are forced to be present in the moment. This mindfulness through decluttering reduces stress and also fosters a greater appreciation for the items we choose to keep, reinforcing a sense of gratitude and contentment.

Enhanced Productivity and Focus

A clutter-free workspace is conducive to enhanced productivity. When our desks are organized, we can locate important documents and tools more efficiently, reducing the time wasted on searching for items. This increased efficiency translates into a more focused and less stressful work environment, allowing us to tackle tasks with greater ease and effectiveness.

In the pursuit of a more balanced and stress-free life, decluttering stands out as a powerful and accessible tool. By simplifying our physical spaces, we create room for mental clarity, creativity, and mindfulness. The act of letting go of unnecessary possessions becomes a metaphorical shedding of stress and a step towards a more serene and fulfilling life. So, let’s embark on the journey of decluttering, not just as a task but as a mindful practice that nurtures our well-being and brings us closer to the tranquility we seek.

Guide to Decluttering

1.Only spend time on your specific daily task.

2.Do not get side-tracked or distracted.

3.Work within a time of day that you have the most energy and stamina. This is one of the most useful declutter motivation tips. Listen to your body and work at decluttering when you feel the most alert and energized.

4.Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. This is one specific way for How to Be Ruthless When Decluttering.

5.Avoid cleaning during your declutter. The goal is to purge the dead weight. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Cleaning can be accomplished later. Read on for more declutter motivation tips and my room specific deep clean checklist, though, as you will begin cleaning after your declutter.

Hacks for Decluttering

Supplies Needed:

1. boxes -preferably ones you can donate (Avoid plastic storage bins because you may be tempted to just store the items and not part with them.)1. boxes -preferably ones you can donate (Avoid plastic storage bins because you may be tempted to just store the items and not part with them.)

2. sturdy trash bags

3. marker/pen to label boxes

Decluttering Tip: Avoid using storage bins to declutter. Storage bins tend to tell your brain to “store” the items for later. That is just delaying decisions. If you aren’t getting rid of items when you declutter, you are not truly decluttering. This is why I recommend a trash bag, also. A trash bag tells your brain to “trash” the item.

Obviously, recycle if you have that option. The boxes you use should be ones you are willing to part with, so I recommend sturdy cardboard boxes. As to donations, there are many charities that will come pick up your items for you at your home.

I use one in particular where you can book an appointment for pick-up online. This is so convenient, as it saves you the hassle of hauling stuff away yourself. Scheduling that pick-up also motivates you to declutter by a certain date.

Steps for Decluttering

1. Start by eliminating trash first- use a sturdy trash bag

2. Sort items by category if needed so you can see what you have

3.Get rid of items that don’t work or that work poorly, expired items, anything you don’t love, anything that you’ll never use again

4. Box up the donations and trash/recycle the rest

5.Select a charity to donate your items and schedule the pick-up if that is an option

How Do You Declutter Your Entire House (and get it deep clean?): Need to deep clean?

First, My How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen list can be found here.

Second, My How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom list can be found here.

Third, My How to Deep Clean Your Kids’ Rooms list can be found here.

Fourth, My How to Deep Clean Your Living Room list can be found here.

Fifth, My How to Deep Clean Your Bedroom list can be found here.

You can get your printable Daily Housekeeping Routine and Deep Cleaning Your House Schedule here. This 15 page printable kit is delivered digitally to your email for you to print and personalize. What Does a Deep Clean Include? It includes a daily schedule, calendar pages, and deep cleaning checklists for every room and area of your home. Check out the link above to see a sample page of what you’ll get in my printable set designed to help you create your personal Homemaking Checklist.

Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can find that here.

New to deemiddleton.com and don’t know where to start? I recommend going in this order:

Step 1: Check out this post on the 1st step you should take to get organized. If you don’t have a calendar, you can grab my free weekly printable calendar page here. It is in my shopify store, but it is totally free, so you won’t be prompted to put in any payment information. It is a free download and will be delivered straight to your email.

Step 2: Create a daily Housekeeping Schedule. You can use this series to start to set up your own schedule. You can also use this simplified weekly schedule.If you often ask: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Or, if you struggle to get organized and have tried and failed time and again, you can likely find out which of these 11 reasons cause you to fail to get organized.

Step 3: How do you remove clutter? How Do You Declutter Your Home?.…Sign up for the Declutter Series and get your entire home decluttered in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.”Declutter Your Home” checklists are provided in each email.

Step 4: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Use a timer and use the Deep Cleaning Checklists above. They will help you get your home sparkling after you’ve decluttered.

Interested in becoming a full-time blogger like me? Check out my blogging series. At the top of every page on my blog, you’ll find a drop down menu. Just select the BLOGGING category.