Why Letting Go Of Clutter Feels So Good This Time Of Year
Marcus Aurelius | Unsplash Spring cleaning can help you declutter and clean things out of your home that you often overlook. But did you know that letting go of clutter and mental health are connected? Yes, decluttering your space may feel good because it improves mood, clears thinking, and increases attention span. In fact, a 2010 study found that women who described their homes in negative terms, like unfinished and cluttered, also had higher levels of stress hormones.
However, working and living in a clean, organized space allows you to appreciate what you have. In this way, you can focus on enjoying your home, rather than constantly trying to put something somewhere or hide the clutter. Decluttering helps you feel good at any time of year, but here's why letting go of clutter feels especially good as we head into Spring.
Why letting go of clutter feels so good this time of year:
1. Organizing and purging your closet gives you a reason to update your wardrobe with intention
You most likely keep clothes you think you'll wear again. Or maybe clothes you feel you should wear, but never do. A good rule is to get rid of anything you haven't worn for a year or anything uncomfortable or not your style. If it doesn’t fit, get rid of it!!
Keeping all your clothes from 20 years ago, in the hopes you'll lose those 15 pounds, is not a great idea. You can buy new fashionable clothes when you lose 15 pounds! If you really can’t part with the smaller size clothes, pick one pair of pants or a top you love that's timeless, and donate the rest.
Professional organizer Diane Quintana recommended, "Keep a donate bag nearby. Have it either in your closet (if there is room) or in a corner of your bedroom. It needs to be somewhere accessible, so that you can easily put clothes you don’t want anymore in the bag. When the bag is full, take it to your favorite donation place or consignment store."
If you donate to Goodwill, that discarded item can be someone else’s great find. In addition to decluttering your closet, it allows you to take stock of what you do have and then organize things by style, color, or purpose — work, casual, or fancy.
Once you get rid of clothes you are no longer wearing, you can permit yourself to get some items that fit well and are flattering. It also allows you to see what colors you tend to gravitate toward and challenge yourself to add more colors to your wardrobe.
2. You can create new, meaningful ways to remember people
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Take a look at what works in the room and decide if there's anything there that no longer fits with the decor or flow of the room. Then, remove them.
Have you been holding on to items that are not really you, but were gifted to you, so you feel bad donating them? Remember, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Research on sentimental value explained how our focus shifts over time from the function of an object to the emotion it invokes. Letting go of sentimental items that no longer fit into your home is healthy. You can remember the person in a different way, such as by framing a picture of them or a letter they wrote.
3. You can thoughtfully preserve the very best moments of your child's little years
You might say to yourself, "I need to save all of my children’s artwork, writing, awards, etc." Do you have big piles of your children’s stuff, in the hopes you'll go through it someday? Well, today is the day to start going through it and picking the best pieces from their work!
You can always scan additional pieces, if you like, and save them to an online folder. Organizing key items in a clear storage bin is also a nice way to remove some of the clutter. Pick a couple of key items you love and frame them.
4. You can shift your focus away from things and back onto the people you love
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Again, the same principle: go through old photos and pick the ones you really like and either frame them or make a scrapbook or photo album of them. You can create photo books that make wonderful additions to your coffee table and living room. A study suggested that by highlighting pictures of you and your loved ones, you can appreciate them more.
Getting started with decluttering and organizing our environment can feel like a daunting task, and oftentimes can lead to paralysis and not getting started. But with these 4 simple tips, you're on your way to a more organized and decluttered home.
Working in a clean, uncluttered space creates a sense of calm and well-being. You may not be aware, but holding onto things can make clutter in a home that impedes your ability to accomplish goals or get work done.
Monica Ramunda, MA, LPC, LCMHC, RPT-S, is a licensed counselor in both Colorado and North Carolina and a Registered Play Therapist supervisor. She offers teletherapy and in-person sessions for clients. Monica helps clients reach their full potential and become the best version of themselves.
