8 Small Ways to Declutter That Make a Big Difference in Your Space and Mood

Motherhood coach Denaye Barahona, Ph.D, started decluttering her home by decluttering her closet. After she was done, her closet actually became a place she wanted to be. It became a space of solitude, quiet and calm—a feeling she “quickly came to love.” Which inspired her to declutter her entire home “in search of this calm feeling that I wanted to bring to my entire family.” It’s hard to feel calm when you’re surrounded by clutter: surfaces with piles resembling the leaning tower of Pisa; toys strewn all over the floor; clothing jam-packed in your closet; random receipts, paperwork and coupons in random places. “Visually, clutter makes us feel chaotic and unfocused,” said Carrie Higgins, who writes the blog Making Lemonade. Clutter also makes it harder to find what we need, which only frustrates us and makes us feel helpless, she said. And it’s time-consuming and leaves us frazzled and running behind. When we pare down our possessions, we have fewer things to fret about and get distracted by, said Rachel Jonat, who writes about simplicity and minimalism on her website The Minimalist Mom. When we pare down, it’s easier to make decisions, especially for relatively minor matters—like what we put on our feet. “Having fewer choices reduces stress and allows us to focus on things that are more meaningful and rewarding to us.” Plus, the less we have, the less there is to maintain and clean, Jonat said. In fact, you might decide to have less stuff in g...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Tags: Creativity General Habits Happiness Mental Health and Wellness Self-Help Stress Success & Achievement Source Type: blogs