3 Types of Clutter That May Be Holding You Back
April is prime time to tackle that dreaded Spring Cleaning. Out with the old, in with the new. Time to dust off that which no longer serves a purpose. You may be thinking about clearing out all that stuff you can see around you, rolling up your sleeves, getting out those cleaning supplies, and cranking up some fast-paced music to help keep you motivated. But what about all the stuff you can’t see, the stuff that lurks in the hearts and minds of humans everywhere?
Clutter certainly involves the stuff that accumulates in our homes, offices, and cars. Things like papers, clothes, knick knacks, books, dishes, trash, collectibles, etc. But more broadly defined, clutter is anything (seen or unseen) that gets in the way of you living a balanced, peaceful, simple, harmonious, juicy life. Clutter adds to your stress and drains you of what precious little time and energy you have. Can you think of anything besides physical items that do that? I know I sure can. Here’s just a few:
- Negative thoughts
- Painful feelings
- The idea that you have to do everthing yourself
- Perfectionism
As someone who has spent the last several years paying close attention to that which doesn’t serve me and systematically eliminating it (or reducing it) from my life, I’ve come up with three categories of clutter:
Clutter in the Home. This is the PHYSICAL CLUTTER, or stuff we typicall can see that is getting in our way. For many of this, this includes the piles of paper, mail, magazines, newspapers, unfinished projects, clothes, and pretty much anything that occupies our tables, floors, and chairs. It’s the stuff not put away that either doesn’t have a place to go (because all the places are filled with other stuff) or is just one more thing we don’t have the time or energy do deal with.
Clutter in the Heart. This is the EMOTIONAL CLUTTER, or the feelings we have that we either ignore, stuff down deep inside, or let out in ineffective ways. This often involves unresolved issues with relationships, like parents, siblings, children, friends, and other loved ones.
Clutter in the Head. This is the MENTAL CLUTTER, or thoughts that ruminate in our over-active brains. This can include our negative thoughts about ourselves, others, and the world. It can also include constantly thinking about our past or future at the expense of enjoying our present.
To learn how to tackle the clutter in your head, heart, and home, please join me for my next monthly FREE Telseminar, “Clearing the Clutter: How 15 Minutes Could Save Your Sanity.” Simply go to the REGISTRATION page at https://krylyn.com/dev/free-teleseminars/clearing-the-clutter/, and enter your name and email to get signed up. Even if you can’t attend the live call, you will get access to the recording of the call, but only if you register.
Photo: World’s Messiest Office Cubicle Discovered in Colorado © by Jeffrey Beall
