It will be Chinese New Year soon and it is time to get the boxes out for a little spring cleaning. You may have dodged every attempt by your mum, your significant other or your own new year’s resolution to sort through your closet, look through your storeroom or even just recycle the stack of magazines you’ve collected over the year, but the time has now arrived to actually get down to it. If you don’t celebrate Chinese New Year, the start of the year is still a great time to get down to business and get over the cleaning you’ve been meaning to do.
Why clean?
Almost everyone succumbs to the temptation to buy things that we probably do not use. This means that we have things around the house that do not help us live our best lives while simultaneously distracting us from pursuing what is really important to us. Have you ever had the feeling of being overwhelmed while working at your overcrowded desk? Or been frustrated at your lack of clothing options although your wardrobe is at bursting point? Well then, a little decluttering can go a long way to maintain your mental and even physical health.
We might spend time and effort to rid our bodies of excess and of toxins but we seldom shift that good behaviour onto our living spaces and lifestyles. Just like detoxifying your body, decluttering your lifestyle and home will have great effects on your productivity and overall health. Read on to find out exactly how minimalism can help you in your day to day life and get you in gear to greet the New Year with confidence.
How many times have you known that you have an item but just did not know where you kept it? If rooting through your storeroom to find your required object among all the extras you have happens more often than you’d like it to, then it might be time to sort through your belongings. One easy way to keep your material possessions to a minimum is to get rid of duplicates. You do not have to get rid of these immediately. Put them in a box and if you don’t miss these items within a few months then consider donating these items. Decluttering your home would also allow you to organise your home better in order to find things with more ease. Thus, there’s no more mad rush when you need these things urgently. This will also prevent you from buying unnecessary things because you are well aware of what you have and don’t have.
Picture this: you are in the middle of working on an important work assignment when you need to retrieve some paperwork from your desk. There are stacks and stacks of paper – paperwork from your job, magazines you promised yourself you will read and grocery lists and bills that you need to keep. Even if you knew exactly where you kept your paperwork, you will be distracted even for moment about the million other tasks that you have got to get to, leading to frustration. There is a peace of mind when you take the time to clear out the unnecessary distractions and just have the work you have to do in front of you. Science agrees: the more objects competing for your attention, the more your brain multitasks and the less focus you have on the work you need to do. So take some time, organise your table-top items into compartments, file your paperwork and bask in your new found productivity.
Most times, things have an impact on you psychologically – a decorative vase from an ex or a book from a friend you’ve parted ways with. Though they take up space physically, they also affect your mental health, perhaps bringing to mind memories you’d rather not remember. By getting rid of such objects, not only is your physical space more free, you create for yourself an emotional safe space where you do not get saddened by the objects in your room. In fact, research shows a connection between clutter and depression. Clutter literally makes you sad. Getting rid of your clutter might not solve all your problems but it may well get you started.
While decluttering may not bring you complete detachment to worldly possessions, it will deeply benefit you in your day to day life. With all the responsibilities and goals in life, any little bit that helps is appreciated.
