Have you noticed how difficult it can sometimes be to let go of the things that no longer serve you - those books you no longer read, the clothes that no longer fit, broken toys, pens that don't work and on and on? Well, according to an article from lifehacker.com on how clutter affects the brain, your brain views the loss of one of your valued possessions as the same as something that causes you physical pain. And the more you’ve committed emotionally or financially to an item, the more you want to keep it around.
Unfortunately, as was also explained in the article, "physical clutter overloads your senses, making you feel stressed, and impairs your ability to think creatively." So our brains and our stress levels would benefit from less clutter and a more organized space. Here are my tips for keeping clutter at bay.
For more tips on taming clutter, check out the lifehacker article mentioned above.
Unfortunately, as was also explained in the article, "physical clutter overloads your senses, making you feel stressed, and impairs your ability to think creatively." So our brains and our stress levels would benefit from less clutter and a more organized space. Here are my tips for keeping clutter at bay.
- For every item you purchase (not including groceries), remove at least 2 items from your home. It doesn't have to be in the same category as the item purchased (ex: if you buy jeans, you don't have to give away two pairs of jeans, you could get rid of a book and a bracelet), just so long as there is a good flow of things coming into your home and things leaving your home. This will keep you from accumulating the same amount of stuff and staying "stuck" with the same level of clutter, but still allows you to bring new things into your home. Balance baby!
- Before bringing an item into your home, ask yourself if the item truly brings you joy and where you plan to store it once you bring it home...then think about that space - do you truly have room in that space for that item and if not, are you willing to remove something from that space to welcome in the new item.
For more tips on taming clutter, check out the lifehacker article mentioned above.