Decluttering To Achieve Balance

Have you ever found yourself in the midst of clutter? 

There are periods in my life that my house gets cluttered and it just begs for a good "spring" cleaning. Piles of paper from a variety of unfinished tasks just sit waiting for a friendly hand to whisk them away into filing cabinets. Other piles just lay in wait as new projects get underway. Clutter seems to bring on more clutter and that seems to transfer over to my calendar that has its share of too many events crowded into a short space. When all of this occurs an intervention is necessary so that order and balance can be restored.

There are so many declutter experts on television these days who work their magic. I have gathered a few ideas on how to bring about order in a more efficient manner. My choice of life hacks to declutter are:

#1: Engage in Reflaction

Reflection with POSITIVE action (a term coined by two educator friends, Cory Radish and Scott Totten) is needed to start my "spring" cleaning process. Goal setting is essential.

#2: Sort and Organize

Divide and conquer the clutter. Set up three strategic areas: For Trash, For Storage, For Immediate Handling. Use the Three Second Rule to rid myself of unwanted items that are not important. Create specific areas or compartments for items that I want to keep.

#3: Step Back, Reflect on Accomplishments, Celebrate

Did I remember to relax with the process because some jobs are quick and others are meant to be conquered in small steps. Applaud the positive thinking and stamina needed to persevere.

Just as we declutter our home, garden, and office, I learned we must declutter our minds to keep balance and peace in sight. Reducing the information intake to allow for periods in the day just to relax is key. 

My Reflaction: Now that my outdoor space has been reimagined and is clutter-free, I commit to bring balance to my indoor space.

With that said, I am off to simplify my life with some life hacks thanks to Margaret Simon at DigiLit Sunday who suggested the topic of decluttering.