In the hustle and bustle of modern life, our living spaces often mirror the chaos we experience daily. Piles of papers, stacks of unused items, and an overall sense of disarray can contribute to stress and impact our emotional well-being. In this blog post, we’ll explore the profound connection between clutter and stress, and how the simple act of decluttering for emotional well-being can pave the way for improved mental health.

Welcome to the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series! We will be starting decluttering specific tasks. Each day is dedicated to spending only 30 minutes decluttering your specific daily task. We will be working 5 days a week, so you can take 2 days to enjoy time with your loved ones.

You can read more about the Psychology of Clutter here.

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 sign up here.

Struggling with the daily housekeeping chores? Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. Use this link to get it at a discounted price.

Struggling to decide if an item is clutter? Use these questions below to help you determine whether to keep or toss any item.

Decluttering for Emotional Well-being: The Connection Between Clutter and Stress

The Clutter-Stress Connection:

1. The Psychology Behind Clutter:

• Our surroundings can influence our mental state. Cluttered spaces may subconsciously signal a lack of control, leading to heightened stress levels.
• Studies in psychology suggest that clutter can overload our senses, making it more challenging to focus and relax.

2. Cortisol and the Stress Hormone:

• Cortisol, the body’s stress hormone, is affected by our environment. A cluttered space may contribute to elevated cortisol levels, resulting in increased stress and anxiety.
• Decluttering can create a sense of order, potentially reducing cortisol levels and promoting a calmer state of mind.

3. The Weight of Clutter on the Mind:

• Clutter isn’t just physical; it extends to mental clutter as well. An overwhelming environment can lead to a cluttered mind, making it difficult to think clearly and make decisions.
• Simplifying our physical space through decluttering can have a cascading effect, clearing mental space and fostering a sense of mental well-being.

The Therapeutic Power of Decluttering:

1. A Sense of Accomplishment:

• Decluttering, even in small doses, provides a tangible sense of achievement. Completing a task, such as organizing a drawer or clearing a room, releases endorphins and boosts mood.
• Breaking down decluttering into manageable tasks can make the process less overwhelming, creating a positive feedback loop.

2. Creating a Calming Environment:

• A clutter-free space promotes a sense of calm and tranquility. It allows for better relaxation and improved sleep quality, essential components of emotional well-being.
• Introducing elements of minimalism into your living space can be a powerful way to create a serene atmosphere that supports mental and emotional health.

3. Fostering Mindfulness:

• Decluttering encourages mindfulness, the practice of being present in the moment. As you organize and tidy, you become more aware of your surroundings and your actions.
• Mindfulness has been linked to stress reduction and improved mental health, making decluttering not just a physical activity but a mental one as well.

In the journey towards emotional well-being, decluttering serves as a transformative tool. By recognizing the connection between clutter and stress, and actively engaging in the process of simplifying our living spaces, we pave the way for a healthier, more balanced life. Embracing the therapeutic power of decluttering not only revitalizes our physical surroundings but also rejuvenates the mind, contributing to a more resilient and stress-resistant self. So, let’s take a step back, clear the clutter, and make room for a brighter, more emotionally fulfilling future.

Decluttering for Emotional Well-being: A few guidelines to keep you on task: 

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. 

4.Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. Recruit help if you are stuck in the decision process. 

5.Avoid cleaning during your declutter. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Cleaning can be accomplished later.

Decluttering for Emotional Well-being: We are working in the home office this week. Your task today for today, January 30th is to: Declutter any unnecessary important documents.

Bonus tip: Scan them all with your smart phone into my favorite “paperless” phone app – Evernote. Even if you plan to keep some important documents, this a great way to keep those items stored digitally in case of a fire or natural disaster.

Need to deep clean? I have lists for you to guide you along.

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

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

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

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

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

Also, to keep up the general housework, you may need to create a daily housekeeping schedule that suits your specific needs. To do so, I have created a helpful series you can read here.

Need to Declutter Every room? I have declutter checklists for every room and every space in your home to guide you along below.

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 sign up here.

How to Declutter the Guest Room or Your Kid’s Room checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Laundry Room and Patio checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Coat Closet/Hall Closet/Linen Closet checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Home Office checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Attic checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Garage checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Living Room checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Kitchen Checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Entry/Foyer/Mudroom checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Clothing checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Bedroom checklist can be found here.

How to Declutter Your Bathroom checklist can be found here.

Happy Decluttering!

To Subscribe to this Declutter Series, drop me a comment below. Your email will be sent to me but will not be posted publicly. You’ll receive a daily declutter task via email for the daily task we are working on. You can unsubscribe at any time.

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. 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 sign up here.

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?.…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.

Check out the most popular posts on deemiddleton.com: 

14 Things That Make Your Home Look Cluttered

How to Do A 1 Day Declutter

How to Create a Daily Housekeeping Schedule

How to Clean House When You Are Completely Overwhelmed By Clutter

What is Preventing You From Getting Organized?

Also, check out a great post on decluttering over here from becomingminimalist.com. Joshua Becker has some great tips on decluttering and minimalism.

For further reading, check out the fly lady here. She has some great cleaning and decluttering ideas plus excellent organization tips to get you started.