Reduce clutter to calm your anxiety
In the middle of the night on Tuesday, I woke up due to a pain issue. Then a thought popped into my head and I actually started laughing: I cannot believe I was going to do this entire series of posts on anxiety and forget to tell you all about how decluttering can help you to feel calmer.
I literally run a coaching course on decluttering, and I know for a fact that decluttering and tidying can reduce stress, so I have no excuse. Clutter—especially visible clutter—can create stress and anxiety.
This simple clearing technique can help you calm down.
One of the first things I advise people to do when they need to tidy and declutter is to clear one flat surface in each room or space in their home. Preferably the largest flat surface in that space. In any bedroom, that will be the bed. In any dining space, it will be the table (though a sideboard is also a good contender). In a living room or family room it might be the sofa, or maybe a coffee table.
Here are part of the directions I give to people at the start of The Declutter Course coaching program:
Clear one flat surface per room this week.
Yes, you read that right. Clear one flat surface in each and every room of your house. This will give your eye a place to rest in each of those spaces, which should help to reduce your stress levels.
Clutter causes stress. Visible clutter in particular can raise your stress levels and lead to a feeling of overwhelm. If you have one clear surface in each room where your eye can rest, you will find that you feel calmer and less overwhelmed. It’s like a magical stress reducer.
An easy win in any bedroom is to clear things off the bed that don’t belong there, and make the bed. In the kitchen, clear a stretch of counter, the island (if you have one), or the kitchen table. In the dining room, clear the dining table, the top of a sideboard or a side table. In the living room, clear the sofa, your coffee table, or the top of a bookcase or entertainment unit.
Clearing one surface in each room is something you should be able to do in 20 minutes or less. If you set a timer for 20 minutes, turn up some tunes, open the curtains or blinds, and use some of the other strategies in the free energy-clearing download such as setting an intention and lighting a candle or what have you, you should be able to get through at least one room in your space each day.
It’s worth doing, even if you have to put the stuff you cleared from that flat surface on the floor, in a box, or in the corner of the room. That clear space is going to make you realize that YOU CAN DO THIS. And that you can get a handle on not only your clutter, but your own sense of overwhelm.
If you are feeling claustrophobic in your space, or things aren’t tidy, or you feel things are cluttered, or you otherwise feel overwhelmed, this is a physical task that you can take on that will help you to calm down. Because that one clear surface one each area of your living space will allow you to have a place to rest your eyes so that you aren’t constantly overwhelmed.
As a reminder, it doesn’t have to take very long to clear a surface. That’s especially true if you are just sweeping things onto the floor or into a bin or basket. You can usually make your bed in under five minutes, and that includes time to put fresh linens on your bed. And as Navy Seal Admiral McRaven says in this speech (which has gone viral and also become a small book), it will give you a sense of purpose and achievement.
You can check out these past tips for further info and inspo:
Twenty minutes a day is all it takes
You can clear space and tidy up gradually, just 20 minutes per session.
Decluttering 101
Getting started, and how clearing one flat surface helps
Don’t miss out on the e-book!
I’ve collected up all 17 blog posts into a book that you can purchase and download, so that you can have all the tactics and techniques in one place. The book is 54 pages of goodness, including extra resources.
