Decluttering: A Powerful Tool for Reducing Anxiety

Anxiety is unavoidable in every aspect of your life. However, it’s not required for everything, and there are ways to reduce and maintain it. One great strategy is decluttering. It’s scientific. When you see clutter, your mind wanders and feels lost.

Below are a few ideas to help you declutter and reduce your anxiety. 

Promotes Physical Activity 

Decluttering gets you moving and lets your mind think about other things for a moment. This offers time to de-stress and a moment to control the things around you. Physical activity also increases feel-good chemicals, which can provide instant relief. 

Creates Order 

When things are out of place, especially during busy times, you may feel anxious and scattered. Putting things back where they belong keeps things in order and releases these feelings. 

Saves Time and Relationships

Time and relationships are often sacrificed due to trying to find things or fighting about the mess. Decluttering avoids this altogether. It keeps things organized and in order, so even if something is lost, it is likely to be found quickly and easily. With fewer chores to do at home, the family can relax and unwind together. 

Improves Confidence and Self-Efficacy

Putting things in order gives you a feeling of control. Each time you put something away and use your decision-making and problem-solving skills, you gain back control and power over your life. As you make more decisions, you gain the ability to trust yourself fully. Decluttering is a stress-free way of making decisions without judgment and is an excellent exercise to increase self-efficacy and trust. 

To gain these benefits, it’s beneficial to adopt an excellent decluttering strategy. You don’t need to be flawless to gain a few benefits. 

Here are three tips to get you started: 

Start With Just Five Minutes A Day – Start simple and don’t expect yourself to be perfect at first or ever. Take five minutes at the end of your day to tidy up the most important area. If you have an area where keys, coats, and bookbags are stored for the next day, tackle this room first; and get the kids involved. This way, if you don’t get done, it won’t be too much of a problem later. When you get used to the five minutes, make it ten minutes the next time and continue until you reach the time needed to declutter thoroughly. 

Break It Down by Room or Space – Work room by room or space by space. Don’t think about all the work that needs to get done. Breaking it down makes it less overwhelming. Also, doing this allows you to focus on the crucial details needed for each room.

Establish A Sorting System – As you go through each room of your house, create a sorting system. Some rooms may require different sorting systems and more work than others. Possible ideas include labeling bins as “keep”, “throw away”, or “file”. You can simply sort similar items together as well. Keep it easy and straight forward. 

While decluttering is simple in concept, it’s powerful in application. Reduce your anxiety and gain many other benefits by decluttering.

Takeaway

Do you have a decluttering system? Hit reply and share your successes.

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