Decluttering

Today I'm going to cover decluttering, how a tidy environment can mean a tidy mind, I'm going to cover three holistic reasons why it's beneficial, as well as three simple steps to get started. 
So the first reason to consider is emotional.​
Clutter simply can stress us out and by decluttering this can reduce the stress. 

​As Grace Bell (author of Decluttering Your Home) points out whether it's conscious or unconscious, most of us don't want to live in a cluttered environment and so when we are, it can cause feelings of agitation because they represent uncompleted tasks. 

Therefore by doing some decluttering, your de-stressing yourself as well as feeling successful because you've achieved something. 
Secondly mental benefit - Increased productivity and focus. 
Have you ever been trying to do a project at work and the desk is strewn with papers?
Or maybe trying to cook dinner but the kitchens work surface is full of things that aren't relevant for that meal you're making?

How focused are you? 
How productive are you? 
Are you being distracted by other things around you? 

Actually it is simpler just to have a quick tidy first and then your mind is more focused on the tasks you are trying to do.

A physical reason is simply it saves time and energy. 
If you know where things are, you know where to find them. That means you're not wasting that time or energy - You can just get on with what you're trying to do. 

How do you get started? 
Three simple steps; 
Firstly pick a small area. 

Whether that's a draw, work bag, your gym bag, your emails, a folder on your computer, just pick one section and focus on that. Don't look at the bigger picture, simplify it and look at a smaller picture. 

If you have got something bigger to do, set a time frame. 

If you’re decluttering your wardrobe or your attic for example it is going to take a lot longer, put a time frame on it. Set a timer and just do as much as you can get done in that time. (That can be as little as 5 or 10 minutes if you want it to be.) 

Things where you think does this go in the keep pile or the leave pile. 

In that circumstance ask yourself; If this was lost or broken, how bothered would I be? 
Would I be spending money on replacing it or not? 
That hopefully will help you decide which pile it goes into. 

So just summarize that's three small steps to be able to get started on decluttering as well as three holistic reasons to start.

Anna,
Owner of Pura Vida Living,
A wellbeing company with the mission to keep well-being simple and ensure it's easy for everyone.