Clutter can be both a symptom and a cause of stress.

Perhaps for some, the challenges of 2020 have presented the perfect opportunity for a bit of decluttering! The contents of homes, garages and sheds may have been carted off to the tip and abandoned there amidst the detritus of other people’s lives. For others, it may have started that way but then had a reverse effect during the second lockdown period when it seemed important to gather our stuff around us.

Sometimes, this ‘stuff’ is a bit of a security blanket; we’ve worked or saved for this stuff and we just don’t want to part with it in a world that seems to be in a state of flux. Perhaps it might be because we feel too anxious to deal with the stuff and clutter that’s gathering around us and ‘next week’ seems like a better time to face it all.

Working from home has blurred the lines between work and leisure and work life balance has become almost non-existent. Your environment feels cluttered, your mind feels cluttered, your life feels cluttered. Perhaps you’re not working from home but you’re in Stage 4 lockdown and haven’t really been far from your house for months. Winter has been a perfect time to hunker down, gathering duvet and stuff around you.

But now it’s Spring time. There’s blossom on trees, bulbs are poking their heads gingerly out of the soil and the days are longer and just a little warmer. Spring is a great time to clear out the old -Spring cleaning, or in this case, spring decluttering.

Here are some tips to help you declutter

DECLUTTERING YOUR ENVIRONMENT:

• Start small and tidy one area at a time
• Remove any particular objects that make you feel stressed or uneasy
• Create a space that feels calm and comfortable to be in
• Add some greenery or plants to help the air quality and create some colour in your space.

Sometimes it’s not just the physical that needs to be decluttered. There are times where it’s simply freeing up time in your life by reducing the commitments and things that you don’t enjoy.

DECLUTTERING YOUR LIFE:

• Create a work schedule to follow, and a ‘to-do’ list each day with regular start and finish times
• Schedule in time for movement and exercise to help you feel good both physically and mentally
• Set some healthy boundaries with friends, family and colleagues so you’re not taking on too much or committing to events
• Find a mindful practice or time for meditation to help quiet the chatter in your mind.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, or need inspiration in changing old patterns, our 5-day residential program Healing Your Life can help. We provide a safe, nurturing and compassionate space to think about your needs and hear others’ experiences. Learn how to relax deeply, sleep better, reduce stress, create an environment for healing and feel empowered to make informed choices in your life journey.