Clutter Busting

Spring always makes me feel motivated. When spring arrives I feel the desire to throw off the things that have been weighing me down….or take care of my spring cleaning.

Besides the obvious benefits of this ritual such as a clean house, less clutter and more organization, spring cleaning is good for the soul. And there are many hidden benefits to spring cleaning.

So let go of old thoughts and old things. Or…keep those that spark joy. And you might experience a surprising change in perspective…by clearing the cobwebs of your life.

 

 

 

Be around things that spark joy. Do things that spark joy. Period.

You can choose to live a joyful life. You can choose to be joyful. It takes intention and focus. Yet you can make that choice. Here are a few ways to be joyful every day:

1. Make meditation a daily practice in your life.
2. Practice mindful eating. Choose healthy foods that fuel your body.
3. Listen to music that energizes you or soothes you based on what you need.
4. Make your home a nurturing, cheerful and peaceful environment. Surround yourself with things that make you smile. Buy fresh flowers for your home regularly.
5. Reduce visual clutter and/or all clutter.
6. Carry and/or display photos taken in moments of happiness and love.
7. Choose your company carefully. Surround yourself with people who lift you up.

And just be joyful in the moment.

“In expressions of our joy, we create joyful outcomes to all that we must face.” ~Eleesha

As previously mentioned, many people find decluttering a challenge because they view it as having to let go or a loss. But what if you looked at decluttering in a different way?

What if you approached decluttering by asking the following question: “Does this item look like it belongs to the person I want to be?”

In the book written by M. J Ryan This Year I Will…How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Make a Dream Come True (Broadway Books 2006), one of the chapters discusses the gap between where you are and where you want to be as being a good thing. Doing the same thing is taking the path of least resistance. What if you did take that path less travelled? You know if you keep doing the same thing you will keep getting the same results. If you are indeed in charge of your happiness, then start taking charge. Will it be tough? Yes. Will it be uncomfortable? Yes. Is it doable? Yes, if you believe and take action. [Read more…] about Another Way to Declutter

Is there joy in decluttering?

When you declutter you open up your space and your life for possibilities.

In the book, The life-changing magic of tidying up: the Japanese art of decluttering and organizing (Ten Speed Press 2014), author Marie Kondo takes tidying to a new level by promising if you properly simplify and organize your home once, you will never have to do it again. The author suggests that using the KonMari Method, a category-by category system, leads to lasting results.

In the book she declutters by determining which items in your house “spark joy”. As you hold each item in your hand, you determine if it brings you joy. If it does, it stays, but if it doesn’t it goes.

This approach has merit and may be an easier way to tackle decluttering. When we think of decluttering we normally think of letting go or getting rid of things. With the KonMari Method, you are keeping the things that give you positive feelings. So if we can think positively of decluttering then the process of decluttering becomes positive and maybe even joyful. And you end up surrounded with the things that “spark joy” in your life.