Day 13: Declutter my surrounds = declutter my mind

How did you feel when you read the word declutter?  Did you think yes lets bring it on or did you feel heavy and attached to all of your belongings?

This technique is such a great way to shift negative thoughts, anxiety, confusion or overwhelm..  If you ever need a visual of what the organisation of thoughts may appear like in your head have a look around you!  

What does the inside of your car look like?  Does it have 4 items of clothing, 3 shoes, 5 pairs of scattered sunglasses, a cubic metre of sand, over-ripe fruit under the seat, dog slobber on the windows and some rocks collected for keeping from a special walk?    Do you have a "drop zone" in your home where everything is thrown when you walk in ranging from bills, bags, scarves, shopping bags, newspapers and junk mail?   What is lurking in your wardrobe?  Have you kept those 1980's leotards and tights (just in case you go to a 1980's dress up party one day), your first (who am I kidding - every dress you have ever purchased) formal dress and a spectrum of different sized clothes (the "goal" clothes, the comfy clothes and the current fitting clothes)?

Every extra item in our visual field is an added piece of sensory stimulation.  If our surrounds are in chaos, our thoughts are also likely to be the same.....  There is also the constant thought in the back of our mind of needing to get to that at some stage to sort out.  We create a to-do list in our mind which is rarely addressed.   It can become all consuming and create a state of anxiety which we rarely associate with the physical clutter in our lives.  The physical clutter tells the brain that there is always something that needs to be done; this can be exhausting!

Where on Earth to begin....  tips to declutter:
* Choose one area to begin.  Perhaps the kitchen bench or a wardrobe.
* When picking up items, ask yourself how does it make you feel?  If it is to go, put it in the box or bag and don't look back!!
* A technique used by Colleen Madsen at 365 less things involves giving one item away each day (if a new item is purchased, two need to go!).  At the end of the year you have decluttered 365 things. 
* Maybe start with your car if it is somewhere you spend a lot of time.  Often we see a result quickly!
* Remember it doesn't all need to be done at once!!