10 Ways Clearing Your Space Can Clear the Mind

Are you feeling overwhelmed and stressed by the clutter in your living space? Do you find it hard to focus and be productive amidst all the chaos? You’re not alone. In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to accumulate too many possessions and forget that clearing your space can help clear the mind.

Clearing physical space can have a profound impact on mental clarity and focus. By decluttering our home and work environment, we create a sense of order that can reduce stress and promote a more peaceful state of mind.

In this article, we’ll explore 10 ways that clearing your space can clear the mind. We will also provide practical tips on decluttering and maintaining a clutter-free environment to improve your well-being. Let’s get started! 

The Connection Between Physical Space and Mental Clarity

Our physical environment is often a reflection of our internal world. When we have cluttered and disorganized spaces, it can create a sense of chaos and overwhelm within us. A clear and organized space, on the other hand, can promote feelings of calmness and control.

Cluttered spaces bombard our senses with an overload of stimuli, which can lead to anxiety, stress, and even depression. In contrast, decluttered spaces allow for better focus and concentration by reducing distractions.

Sabine Kastner, professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at the University of Princeton, with over twenty years of research on attention, has found that visual clutter distracts the brain and decreases our cognitive functions over time. 

To prevent this, we must take the time to clear our work and home spaces from clutter. 

Not only can decluttering protect our brains, but it can also have a therapeutic effect on our minds. Clearing and letting go of material objects can feel liberating. By removing these items from our space, we create room for new and positive energy to flow.

Read more: Why Do We Hold Onto Material Things We Don’t Need?»

How Decluttering Can Clear the Mind

There are so many benefits to keeping a tidy home and workplace. While we often procrastinate clearing our space, we’re surprised by how good it feels once we do. 

Even though decluttering is technically housework, it’s often viewed as an expression of self-care today. If you want to find out how to build self-care practices like decluttering into your daily life, check out this article.

Overaccumulation of material possessions creates disorganization. It affects decision-making, life satisfaction, and our well-being. An ongoing citizen science research project found that those who participated did so to achieve mental freedom, peace of mind, and psychological relief by decluttering. Furthermore, they wished to have more time for other things.

Isn’t this true for most of us? I can’t think of anything more demotivating or depressing than coming home to clutter and disorder. 

Read more: How to Support Mental Well-Being by Removing Clutter» 

Here are 10 ways that clearing your space can clear the mind and promote well-being:

1. It Can Create a Sense of Accomplishment

A cluttered home can make us feel anxious or overwhelmed. It can also make it challenging to muster the energy to clear our space. This can lead to an unproductive cycle of procrastination and avoidance, which only adds to our anxiety.

Therefore, it is no surprise that getting started is often the most challenging part of decluttering. Once we take that initial step, we will feel motivated to continue. Before we know it, our homes will be neat and organized.

But how do we take that first step?

The easiest way to begin is to break the decluttering process into smaller, more manageable tasks. That enables us to work towards a sense of accomplishment with each area or room completed.

As a result, we’ll clear our minds, reduce anxiety, and bring a sense of control back into our lives.

Learn more: Why Do I Get Overwhelmed So Easily?»

2. It Can Reduce Visual Distractions

Cluttered spaces can be visually overwhelming, especially for those who are prone to anxiety. The constant visual stimulation from piles of items and disorganized surfaces can overstimulate our brains and make it difficult for us to relax and focus on one task at a time. This can lead to increased feelings of stress and anxiety.

Clutter affects everyone, young and old. Studies show that it decreases life satisfaction, productivity, and quality of life. 

Decluttering doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. If your bedroom is disorganized, for example, which makes it hard to relax and fall asleep, spend a few minutes tidying up and putting items away. This simple action can do wonders for your sleep and peace of mind. 

Likewise, organizing your work desk can create a more calming and focused environment for better productivity. You’ll be amazed at how much better you can concentrate on work when your desk isn’t cluttered with papers, books, pens, and other office supplies. 

Clearing our space really does clear our minds.

3. It Can Encourage Healthy Habits

Many people struggle with maintaining healthy habits, such as exercising regularly or cooking nutritious meals. One underlying cause for this struggle could be a cluttered living space.

A cluttered home can make it challenging to find the time and space to prioritize self-care activities. The mere thought of adding another task to our already long to-do list can feel overwhelming.

However, decluttering our living space can create a more efficient and functional environment. This, in turn, can free up time to focus on our health and well-being.

For example, by decluttering our kitchen and creating designated spaces for healthy snacks and meal prep, we may be more inclined to reach for nutritious options instead of quick, processed meals.

Similarly, a decluttered bedroom can create a calming atmosphere for better sleep, leading to more energy and motivation for exercise.

By prioritizing decluttering as part of our self-care routine, we can establish healthier habits that support our overall well-being. So, clearing our space not only helps clear the mind but also has a positive impact on our daily habits and routines.

Read more: Daily Routines: 11 Benefits You Need to Know»

4. It Can Reduce Decision-Making Fatigue

Decision-making fatigue is a real issue that many of us face daily. It’s the exhaustion and mental strain we experience from making both big and small decisions throughout the day. It can become even more overwhelming when our work or home space is cluttered. 

Therefore, we should take action to minimize the risk of decision-making fatigue. One good place to start could be your morning routine. 

Perhaps you spend too much time deciding what to wear for work in the mornings. This will add to decision-making fatigue and leave you feeling drained before you leave the house.

However, by organizing your closet and only keeping items you love, you save time and energy from rummaging through your closet for something to wear. This allows you to start the day right and have one less thing to worry about.   

Learn more: The Power of Morning Routines: Start Your Day Right»

It is simple actions like these that can make a significant impact on your overall well-being. Most of us don’t think about how tiring it is to make daily decisions about what to wear or eat. Planning our days can minimize decision-making fatigue and clear our minds.  

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5. It Can Promote Mindfulness

In today’s fast-paced world, finding moments of stillness and mindfulness can prove challenging. Our surroundings are often cluttered with distractions, from technology to physical clutter. This constant stimulation can prevent us from being present in the moment and cause stress and anxiety.

Decluttering enables us to disconnect from these distractions and focus on the present. As we sort and organize our belongings, we naturally slow down and mindfully go through each item and its purpose.

This practice can also extend to other areas of our lives as we become more aware and intentional about the objects and activities that surround us.

In addition to reducing stress and improving well-being, regular mindfulness practice can increase life satisfaction, improve sleep, and induce higher self-awareness. 

An example of practicing mindfulness could be decluttering a bookshelf. As we go through each book, we must decide whether it holds any value or meaning in our lives. This practice can make us more intentional with what we choose to read.

6. It Saves Time and Money

Many of us struggle with managing our time and finances efficiently, often leading to stress and overwhelm. Clutter can contribute to these issues by making it difficult to find things we need, causing us to waste time searching and potentially having to purchase duplicates of items we already own.

By decluttering, we can streamline our belongings and create a more organized system. This ultimately saves us time in the long run, as we know where everything is and can easily access it. We also save money by not having to replace lost or misplaced items.

Similarly, decluttering your kitchen and organizing your pantry can save you from buying ingredients you already have and wasting money on food that goes bad.

If we choose to live with fewer material possessions, it can save us money since it makes us less inclined to buy new things. This could lead to more sustainable consumption and also benefit our planet. 

7. It Can Foster a Sense of Control

Many of us often feel overwhelmed in our daily lives. This can lead to stress, anxiety, and even depression. Cluttered spaces only add to this sense of chaos and lack of control. By decluttering, we can regain control over our living space and create a sense of order and calmness.

Moreover, the act of decluttering itself can be therapeutic and empowering. When we let go of items that no longer serve us, we break free from our emotional attachments to material objects. This can be especially helpful in times of life transitions or challenges.

For example, a person going through a divorce may find solace in decluttering their home and creating a new beginning for themselves.

Similarly, someone dealing with a loss may find decluttering as a way to honor and let go of the past while creating space for new beginnings. Not only does decluttering foster a sense of control, but it also allows us to process and move forward in difficult situations.

Clearing your space clears the mind, which benefits your overall well-being and quality of life.

8. It Creates Physical and Mental Space

The physical act of decluttering creates more space in our homes, allowing for better movement and function. This is especially true for people living in smaller spaces or with limited storage options. A clutter-free environment also allows for better air circulation and reduces the risk of tripping or falling over objects.

In addition, clearing your space also clears the mind. When our surroundings are cluttered, we may struggle to focus or think clearly. By clearing up our living space, we also free up mental space for tasks and thoughts. This can increase productivity and efficiency.

For example, imagine trying to work on a project in a cluttered home office. Not only will you have trouble finding the materials you need, but the clutter is distracting and hinders your thought process.

However, after decluttering and organizing the space, you can complete tasks and focus on your work.

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9. It Promotes Calmness and Relaxation

A cluttered environment can often lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and even overwhelm. The constant reminder of unfinished tasks or piles of possessions can weigh heavily on our minds and leave us feeling overwhelmed. This can harm our mental well-being and overall quality of life.

However, by decluttering and creating a more organized space, we can promote a sense of calmness and relaxation. When our physical space is in order, it improves our mental state.

Decluttering can also be therapeutic as we make conscious decisions about what to keep and discard. This process allows us to prioritize and focus on what truly matters, leading to a sense of control and peace.

For example, imagine coming home after a long day at work to a cluttered living room. The sight of scattered belongings and piles of papers can be overwhelming and add to the stress of your day. However, by decluttering and creating an organized space, you can come home to a more calming environment that promotes relaxation and allows you to unwind from the day’s events. 

10. It Can Promote Better Sleep

A cluttered and disorganized bedroom can affect our quality of sleep. Visual clutter, such as clothes, books, or electronics, can create a sense of chaos in the room, making it difficult to relax and unwind before bedtime.

Not only that, but these items may also subconsciously remind us of unfinished tasks or responsibilities, causing unnecessary stress and anxiety.

By decluttering our bedroom, we make it peaceful and calming, promoting better sleep. A clean and organized room can help clear our minds and allow us to focus on rest. Discarding excess items also reduces visual distractions, making it easier for our brains to shut off at night. 

Additionally, decluttering allows for better air circulation and a cleaner environment, leading to a more comfortable and refreshing sleep.

Practical Tips for Decluttering

Decluttering may feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are some practical tips to get you started:

• Start small: Focus on one area at a time, such as a desk or a closet, before moving on to larger spaces.
• Set aside dedicated time: Schedule a specific day or time to declutter and stick to it.
• Sort items into categories: Create different piles for the items you want to keep, donate, or throw away. Be honest with yourself about what you use and need.
• Let go of sentimentality: It can be challenging to part with sentimental items, but remember that memories are not physical belongings. Take a photo of the item if it helps you to let go.
• Create designated spaces: Designate specific areas for different items, such as a place for bills or a home for all your books. This will make it easier to maintain organization in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Decluttering goes beyond just having an aesthetically pleasing space. It can improve our mental and emotional well-being, increase productivity, and allow for more efficient decision-making.

So, the next time you’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed, look around your room and see if clearing your space could clear your mind and help bring you more peace. Don’t be afraid to let go of items that no longer serve a purpose in your life.

Remember, decluttering is an ongoing process, so re-organize your space regularly. And keep in mind that decluttering is not just about getting rid of material possessions but also about creating a space that supports and reflects your true self.

So why wait? Start decluttering today and witness the impact it can have on your life!

Malin

Malin, co-founder of Courier Mind, is passionate about personal growth and mindset. With a focus on self-discovery and goal-setting, she creates content that inspires confidence, balance, and growth for the mind and spirit.