Declutter your home

Part 2 of 5: Control what you can control series

Your physical surroundings contribute substantially to your mood and your resilience and when you declutter your home you control more than just your space. Even small steps can make a big difference in your overall perspective.

This is especially true when change strikes fast and hard. Sometimes you just need to do the dishes or organize a closet to gain some control when everything around you seems to be chaos.

Your mind needs a place to focus

There’s a reason I started this series with decluttering your mind and emotions. When we encounter uncertainty, change, or unfamiliar situations, our brains seek solutions by going into reactive mode. As humans, we are wired to protect ourselves from danger at a very basic level (think sabre-tooth tiger).

In today’s world, we may not immediately see the threat — but our brains react to uncertainty or change as if it means impending danger. So our brains are simply trying to identify the threat and provide solutions to protect us. I experience this sometimes as unending questions or circular thought patterns.

One way to stop the “chatter” is to give your brain a place to focus that you CAN control.

External calm quiets the internal space

One of my favorite influences in creating a physical space that feeds your sense of calm and control is The Nester, Myquillyn Smith. In her book, Cozy Minimalist Home, Myquillyn talks about the connection between our homes and our minds.

“When home feels out of control, no matter what the reason, unsettledness and anxiety can seep in, and then the chaos becomes internal as well as external.” 

—Myquillyn Smith, “Cozy Minimalist Home: More Style, Less Stuff“

Myquillyn has many fantastic practical tips for creating a home you love, but one in particular revolutionized my thoughts: “quieting your space.”

A decluttered home = a quiet home

Removing clutter from any space softens the visual impact. We don’t always realize how visually loud our homes are until we remove items from the space. Myquillyn recommends temporarily removing items so that a room has a “chance to breathe.”

When you’re down to only the largest items, usually the furniture, the room may at first seem stark. But as you work through the process, you’re adding in only items that are visually appealing, functional and suited to you and your lifestyle.

You don’t need a spotless home — just one that you find comfortable, functional and calming. And when mama’s happy, everyone’s happy, right?

Start small, think long-term

I encourage you to tackle your entire home, over time. But I’ve also found that smaller steps add up.

Here are 4 “quick fix” ways to declutter your home!

4 “Quick Fix” steps to declutter your home

1. Focus on your entry / exit area. Walk in your front door as if you were a visitor. As you step into your home, take note of what you feel, see, smell, and hear. Does entering your home make you more relaxed or more tense? Notice any areas that create chaos rather than calm in your mind. What can you add, subtract or change even slightly to improve how you enter and exit your home?
2. Organize the area of your home that you spend the most time in with your family (often the living room). As you step into your main gathering space, what is the overall look and feel? Are you comfortable and happy? What creates stress? Remove any areas of clutter to another room to tackle when you have time later. Tidy or straighten if needed. And, make sure you have included items that make you and your family smile when they walk in the room!
3. Simplify your kitchen and dining area. The kitchen is the room in our homes that needs to function the smoothest and often is last on our lists to declutter. in our home. Most of us prepare or at least organize three meals a day for our families, even if some of those are actually eaten outside the home. Spend your time in the kitchen and dining area ensuring that you have what you need readily at hand for the tasks that you manage daily. Consider if your dishes, cooking utensils and towels are easily accessible. Look at your pantry and use/eliminate any food items that you’re not using or have expired. And of course, put away any mail, papers or other non-food-related items on countertops or other flat surfaces!
4. Finally, tackle your bedrooms and bathrooms. Make sure that each person in your household has a calm and relaxing place to retreat, sleep and rejuvenate.

Keep it simple!

It’s cliche but small steps do add up to big change over time. And decluttering is inevitably an ongoing process, a journey we return to again and again as our lives evolve and change.

Whenever you notice that you’re beginning to feel overwhelmed or your mind is racing in circles — stop, breathe, and look around you to see if you have a quick “declutter” you can do in your home. And then, take a step back and look at what’s going on in your heart and mind! Often, you’ll find you’ve gained a fresh perspective by controlling what you can control in your physical space.