Declutter Your Life 101

Decluttering isn’t confined to the four walls of our homes. The real issue with clutter is deeper than the tangible things our eyes can see — it is about the whole context of our lives. We have clutter in our lives because we haven’t taken control and decided what is and isn’t important to us. When we don’t make decisions in life — we end up with a pile of mess in our lives. Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions. (Supplied)

There will be days when we feel like too much is going on around us — too much unnecessary noise and too much chaos. Whenever we feel that we are being pulled in many different directions, that is a clear sign that it’s time to declutter our lives and most importantly, our minds.

Decluttering isn’t confined to the four walls of our homes. The real issue with clutter is deeper than the tangible things our eyes can see — it is about the whole context of our lives. We have clutter in our lives because we haven’t taken control and decided what is and isn’t important to us. When we don’t make decisions in life — we end up with a pile of mess in our lives. Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.

Here are some essential steps to declutter our minds and our lives:

• Recognize what is important and what is not important in your life. Identify and create a list of what matters in your life versus what doesn’t matter in your life.
• Learn to let go. When you eliminate clutter in your life, it’s like calling a junk removal — you will feel unburdened. Letting go means accepting that it is necessary to remove non-essential things and relationships that only weigh you down. Wonderful change happens in your life when you decide to take control of what you do have power over instead of craving control over what you don’t have.
• Get rid of toxic relationships. You must learn to realize and accept those that matter, those that never did; those who will always matter, and those who never will. Life is too short to surround yourself with manipulative people who try to control you and your life according to their needs. You don’t need people who badmouth you to others behind your back. Remember, some of the most poisonous people come disguised as family and friends.
• Declutter your environment. Organize your home and workspace. Throw away items that don’t serve its purpose for you. Tidy up. Sort documents into 3 categories: for filing, for to-do-list and lastly, for trash. Unload and clean up. Ask yourself this: toss it or keep it?
• Ditch your debts. One of the many ways of decluttering your life is by getting rid of your financial debts. Consolidate your debts. Talk to a financial expert who could help you put an end to your debts. You will feel so much better when you are able to pay off your debts. Living debt-free is stress-free!
• Organize your calendar schedule. A jam-packed calendar doesn’t necessarily mean a fulfilled lifestyle. It could mean that you’re living a stressful lifestyle. Learn to say no to nonessential commitments. You don’t have to feel obligated to do things you don’t actually want to do.
• Create a sorting system in your life. Separate everything in your life according to these three questions: Do I keep it? Do I store it? Do I toss it? These three questions apply in all aspects of your life.
• You don’t have to multi-task in life. Multitasking reduces your efficiency and performance because your brain can only focus on one thing at a time. When you try to do two things at once, your brain lacks the capacity to perform both tasks successfully. Try single-tasking — it’s more beneficial for you. Focusing on one task at a time results in higher productivity, lowers stress levels, and makes you happier. You can achieve almost anything in life if you focus on achieving one thing at a time.
• Simplify your life. Embrace minimalism. Stop keeping up with the Joneses! Everything in your life takes up space. You only have so much room for mental space, physical space, and calendar space. A simpler life will give you more energy, more space, and more time. The more room you have in life, the more freedom you have!
• Fix your bed first thing in the morning!When you make your bed every morning, you have accomplished the first important task in your day. This simple task reinforces the importance of life’s finer details. It’s a “keystone habit” that can cause a domino effect of other smart choices and positive practices throughout the day.

Right now is the right time to find your spark of inspiration! Remember that anything you have in life that does not add happiness or positivity eventually becomes a burden. Clutter is synonymous with chaos. The day you rid yourself of chaos is the day your best life begins.