Have you ever sat down to write a letter, an email, or a grocery list and found yourself gazing around the room, not being able to focus on the task at hand? That’s a common experience. It’s a familiar feeling to those who try to work in a cluttered space. Physical clutter is a distraction. It draws your eye and then your mind to the things inhabiting the space and muddles your thoughts. Controlling clutter does so much more than make the space tidy. A clear space helps to clear your mind which in turn makes room for better thinking.
Clutter Creates Overwhelm
Chances are you’ve had the experience of walking into a room, ready to get to work, and then turning on your heel and leaving the room.
Why?
Because you knew you couldn’t work in that space. The reason is clear. When a room isn’t welcoming with an atmosphere of this is a place where your thoughts can flow freely, you don’t feel like settling in and getting work done.
Too much visual stimuli makes it hard for a person to focus their thoughts on the task at hand. You become stuck and, if you want to get anything done, you look for another place to work.
Piles of paper have that effect on me. If I have too many half-finished projects in piles around my desk, I have a hard time focusing my attention on work. To get something done, I organize my space to clear my mind. It can be as easy as making notes about the next step in each project and then filing my piles.
Too Many Choices = Procrastination
Clutter in a room presents you with too many choices of things on which to work. Trying to decide which pile to tackle first leads to decision fatigue, this can make you feel stuck.
It is often easier to do nothing, which is frustrating when you know in your head that what you’re doing is procrastinating.
Clutter gets in the way of you working on projects and making progress. It’s hard to be motivated and creative when the space is cluttered.
Some people think that a tidy space blocks creativity. I disagree.
A tidy space allows your mind to think freely and provides an opportunity to be creative.
Create Space to Clear Your Mind and Focus
What happens when you actively work to create space?
As you reduce piles, make notes, put some things away, and recycle or toss others you give your mind a chance to press the reset button.
You put things where you want to find them. Maybe you also categorize and prioritize the tasks. This puts you in control.
It’s easier to decide what to work on and when. It’s also easier to focus on the task at hand when the space is clear and conducive to work. An additional benefit is that new ideas can come floating in because you now have the space in which to consider them.
The Power of a Tidy-Up
One of my best tips is to tidy up and reset your space every day either before you start work or at the end of the day as you’re wrapping up.
My personal preference is to reset my space at the end of the day. I will make notes about where I want to begin my work the next day. My piles get tidied. Anything I got out during the course of the day is put back where it belongs so I can find it the next time I’m looking for it. When I enter my office the next day, it is welcoming and ready for me to begin work.
This only takes me about 10 minutes.
This short organizing routine offers a powerful reset and helps to clear your mind. It’s a gift I give myself – maybe you want to do the same?
Starting Small Leads to Big Results
Encourage yourself to be satisfied with clearing one small specific space. Many people want to declutter an entire room in one organizing session.
That’s possible if there isn’t too much clutter in the way. It’s overwhelming and self-defeating if the room contains lots of clutter.
When you start small you give yourself confidence and encouragement.
Confidence that you CAN do it.
Encouragement to keep that one small space clear and to declutter another small space. When you maintain the organization and continue to organize small spaces around the room, you end up with an entire room that is well organized with little or no stress involved.
How great is that?
The important thing to remember here is that consistent effort wins the battle. It is a battle because clutter is sneaky. It arrives stealthily and collects in piles here and there. At first you may not notice (or pay attention to) a small pile here and there. Then, when you DO notice the clutter, it can be overwhelming.
Conclusion: A Regular Reset Routine Helps to Clear Your Mind
Create a regular reset routine in the high traffic areas of your home. This will prevent clutter from accumulating which, in turn, will let you keep your mind clear and available to focus on the things that are important to you.
Keeping clutter to a minimum makes cleaning easy.
Makes it simple to see where things are because they aren’t hiding amongst the clutter build up.
These are just some of the many benefits which come to you when you clear your space of clutter to clear your mind.
If this is something which interests you, reach out to me (Diane). Schedule a time to talk. You can email me at: dnqsolutions@gmail.com
Diane N. Quintana is the owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.
