Declutter Your Space and Your Mind Will Follow
With the change of season in the air, now’s the perfect time for a bit of spring cleaning. Clearing away clutter not only unclutters your physical space, it also helps dispel the mental clutter that builds up in our heads (i.e., those to-do lists that seem never ending!)
It turns out that clutter in our surroundings contributes to decreased focus and lack of clarity, not to mention emotional stress and anxiety. Put things in their place and get rid of the excess and you’ll feel calmer, happier, and will be more productive to boot. What’s more, getting motivated to clean and organize your bathroom fires you up; that spark of motivation can then be used to be more productive in other areas of your life: your healthy habits, your work, and your to-do list. You’re simply more in control. It’s a win-win!
How to Get Started
I’m the first to admit I’m no Marie Kondo, but you don’t need to be to experience the benefits of de-cluttering your home. All it takes is a few simple spring cleaning tips to get started.
- Start small. Begin with your bathroom, or if this is too overwhelming, just do something simple like the cupboard under the sink or even just one shelf in your medicine cabinet. Once you finish your bathroom, you can move on to another area of your home.
- Style it. Being in a beautiful space just feels good. This is the principal behind feng shui, the Chinese art of arranging a space to achieve harmony and balance. There’s so much truth to this: when you buy some new colorful towels, a small plant for your bathroom window, or an aromatherapy candle to set on your bathroom counter next to your Pharmacopia Body Lotion, you instantly feel better.
- Donate and upcycle things. That old phrase “one person’s junk is another person’s treasure” is so true today. Pile up all the things you don’t want or don’t use any more from that bathroom drawer and take them to your nearest donation drop or thrift shop.
- Throw a party! Asking friends to join you at your place for a get together is a great incentive to declutter your home. The deadline will get you moving even if the desire didn’t motivate you.
- Reward yourself. Find creative ways to laud yourself for a job well done. My favorite is sitting back and taking some long deep breaths in a warm bubble bath with a couple of squirts of Pharmacopia Citrus Body Wash.
And remember, done is better than perfect!
Tactics for De-Cluttering Your Mind
Once you start clearing out your space at home, the mind follows. I’ve found that adding some mindfulness into daily life can help me stay focused, boost creativity, and make me feel more relaxed. Daily mindfulness has also been shown to help improve sleep. To incorporate more mindfulness into your life, try:
- Journaling: Writing or even drawing and painting in a daily journal can also help clear your mind. Keep a beautiful journal or notebook by your bathtub or bed and you’ll be more likely to jot in it before you take a bath or go to sleep.
- Meditating: Meditation can be as simple as stopping for a moment when you’re massaging in your Pharmacopia Mint Argan Shampoo and breathing in the favorite scent with your eyes closed. We know that daily meditation helps reduce stress, improve sleep, and protect us from major diseases like heart disease.
- Having gratitude: Wake up in the morning and say one thing you’re grateful for or express gratitude for a few things while you brush your teeth at night. I make a point to do this every day. Being grateful has been linked to greater happiness and hopefulness.
- Staying positive: Let go of all the negative thoughts. These thoughts are like clutter in the brain; freeing them helps free up mental space so you can think about more positive things.
Monitor your thoughts regularly and try to replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.
And throughout all your de-cluttering this Spring, don’t forget to breathe! Take deep belly breaths regularly. This is the way we’re all meant to be breathing, every minute of every day. The benefits: you’ll be calmer, more focused, happier, and healthier. Remember: decluttering your space helps you declutter your mind, which helps you declutter your life!
