3 Easy Ways to Declutter and Enhance the Comfort of Your Home
Yes, decluttering can be an intimidating task, but there are good reasons to get started.
Welcome to the 31st issue of The Aim and Soar Life, a weekly Christian personal growth and lifestyle newsletter that provides actionable, relatable, biblically rooted content to help you live abundantly and GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Hey Fam!
Our theme for the month of October is Comfort!
Fall has me thinking of warm blankets, hot apple cider with cinnamon sticks, and donuts from the cider mill. Many of us have already moved our spring and summer clothes into storage closets, put fall-themed reefs on our doors, and laid out colorful fall welcome mats on our porches.
If you are an early bird, you may have already begun to do your Christmas shopping! Not me, but more power to you warriors out there. LOL.😘
But what if you never got around to doing your spring cleaning, and now you need to do spring and fall cleaning to prepare for the upcoming holidays (Me. I have my hand raised high)? Are parts of your house a mess with clutter you need to throw away or donate, but the thought of getting started has been too overwhelming and stressful?
Yes, decluttering can be an intimidating task, but there are good reasons to get started.
Clutter can impact our mental health, make us less productive, and keep us from getting a good night’s rest. With three simple steps, you can make decluttering easy and enhance the comfort of your home by creating a space that is relaxing and inviting.
1. Start Small
Okay, so you are all for decluttering your space and you’re ready to dig in right away. Not so fast. I want to warn you to avoid taking on too much at one time. Doing otherwise will only produce stress and anxiety.
Let’s face it, it took you a while to fill that closet up with all that “stuff.” In most cases, you won’t be able to declutter years’ worth of stuff in an hour or two. Like with most things, slow and steady wins the race.
Start by giving yourself 15 minutes per day for one week. For example, the task can be to remove unwanted clothes from a closet. The therapist in me encourages you to use a timer to ensure that you don’t overdo it. If you feel good and have enough energy, you can give yourself 15 minutes more on the timer, but don’t go beyond that.
Have a clear plan for the items you are purging. For instance, if you are going to donate to a nearby Salvation Army or shelter, have a date and time in mind to drop your items off and stick to them.
If starting with a closet is too much, try a kitchen drawer. I think everyone on the planet has a “junk drawer.” The 15 minutes of focus that you invest every day will make you feel accomplished. It’s all about setting and achieving small goals.
2. Keep Your Focus on Your Focus
As you are working to declutter and make your space more comfortable, don’t be tempted to move from room to room. Pick one area. Remember we are starting small.
Some feel that tackling the biggest area first gives them a sense of accomplishment. For me, starting small and working my way up to larger projects is more fulfilling. Do what works best for your mental health.
If you are starting with a larger project, you can still start small by breaking that larger project down into sections and using the 15-minute method I discussed earlier. Just remember to focus on that one project until it’s complete. This will give you a boost.
Hold yourself accountable by creating a to-do list or calendar that will allow you to check off your progress. When you’ve completed your goal for the day, you can check it off your list and move to the next goal. The Spruce has a great article on room-by-room decluttering.
3. Create a Space of Fulfillment
As you begin to get rid of things you don’t need and make room for the things you value most, you can always enhance the comfort of your home by creating a space of fulfillment—an area that makes you feel good.
It can be anything from a mini-art gallery wall to a home office or craft space.
Decluttering will allow more room for important spaces. A tiny, uncluttered corner of a room can become a small writing studio. You can also use space in guest rooms and closets for prayer and meditation areas.
Be creative! Use your imagination! What space would you like to create in your home? Like a blank canvas, decluttering can help you to envision your home in new ways.
God wants us to enjoy the things we work for. We can show appreciation for the blessings He provides by making the most of what we’ve been given. Decluttering is a step in the direction of creating a better physical and mental environment for ourselves. Not only that, it can allow us to create spaces where we meet with God regularly. I hope this post has blessed you!
Until Next Time,
GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Sherrhonda 😍
P.S.
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