Energise and declutter

Spring is a wonderful time of the year and a great opportunity for a refresh and to embrace new beginnings.

Spring originally derives from the Old English word “springan,” which meant “to leap, burst forth, or rise.”

Plants and flowers burst forth from the ground in springtime and the earth leaps into life putting us in a better mood. In many ways Spring is like nature’s big “reset” button! Spring rains wash away the dirt and dust of winter, making everything feel fresh and clean and it feels like a natural nudge for us to do the same.

The benefits of decluttering

People have been “spring cleaning” for a long time and it is traditional to do this in many cultures and often involves a thorough declutter. There are also some excellent scientific reasons why a good spring clean and declutter is good for us and here are a few to ponder.

Decluttering reduces stress hormones

When our space is cluttered, our brain can feel overwhelmed and this can lead to our body producing more stress hormones, like cortisol.  Scientists have found that a tidy environment can lower our cortisol levels, helping us feel calmer and less stressed  

Decluttering improves our focus

Our brains like order and when there is a lot of visual clutter, it can be hard for our brain to focus on important things. When we declutter we create a less distracting environment, which can help our brain concentrate better. Personally, I have found working in a tidy environment makes me far more focused and clearer headed.

Decluttering improves our sleep

A cluttered bedroom can sometimes make it hard for us to relax and fall asleep. A tidy room can create a more peaceful atmosphere, which can help us sleep better.

Decluttering increases our productivity

I can certainly vouch for this because when we are able to find things easily, we waste less time searching and this includes our digital filing systems too.

Decluttering boosts our mood

Studies have shown that a clean and organised space can actually improve our mood. It gives us a sense of control and accomplishment, which can make us feel happier. Clutter can also cause feelings of anxiety and a clean and organised space can help reduce these feelings.  

Decluttering isn’t just about having a tidy space. It is also about taking care of our overall wellbeing.

So here are my top six tips for decluttering:

1. Start small

Decluttering can sometimes feel like an overwhelming task and getting started is often the biggest challenge. So it pays to avoid trying to do everything all at once. Setting ourselves small steps and picking one cupboard, one shelf, or one file at a time is really helpful.

I am a big fan of the concept of Kaizen. This is a Japanese word that means “change for the better” or “continuous improvement.” Kaizen is all about making small, gradual improvements over time and not about trying to do everything perfectly all at once.  

2. Use a system

A simple system can be helpful and I use my ABC approach as a filtering process when decluttering.

Active – These are the things we love and use all the time. Some may need to be cleaned, mended or amended.

Bin – These are things that are unusable or can be recycled.

Charity – These are things that are not used any more however may well benefit someone else if they are in a usable condition.

I also ask myself the following questions:

Is this useful and what is its purpose?

Does this have any sentimental value?

If I didn’t have this, would I ever consider getting it again?

Would someone else benefit from this more than me?

3. Listen to music

Put on some uplifting music to make decluttering more fun! When we listen to music we enjoy, our brain releases chemicals like dopamine. Dopamine is a “feel-good” chemical that’s linked to pleasure and reward so will give our brain a happy boost!  

4. Set a timer

It can help to do decluttering in shorter 15–30-minute bursts and set ourselves the challenge of finishing our task before the timer goes off!

5. Get help

Sometimes, it’s hard to let go of things on our own and when we have someone with us they can encourage us and help us make decisions. They might see things we don’t and notice something we are keeping that we don’t really need or suggest a better way to organise something.

6. Celebrate success

When we celebrate, our brain remembers that decluttering can lead to positive feelings, and this makes us more likely to want to declutter again in the future. Even a small celebration can make a big difference.

Happy decluttering. Once you get started you will feel great!