DE-CLUTTER (PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY)

We've all heard about the bonuses of having a spring-clean. But what about the emotional baggage we all carry, too. Both physical and emotional clutter can drain your energy levels. Beyond what the Feng-Sui people have to say, there are studies that show that hanging on to clutter or relationships that subtract rather than add to our lives is unhealthy.

It can also make us feel incompetent. For example when we look into our garages or sheds and see stuff we bought because we thought it may make us happy, but we don’t have the time to use it, or we have to keep going to work to pay it off. Or we look into our wardrobes and see things we rarely wear. Or we look at the relationships we hold onto that white-ant our self esteem or the pain we get from frustrating obligations. However, the answer to de-cluttering is the same whether you're getting rid of physical or emotional baggage. First, you need to decide to deal with one type of clutter at a time and second, pick a small area first.

Physical
Don't be overwhelmed by how big the task is. Decide which room you are going to deal with first. Then start small; maybe a drawer in the kitchen, or if you start in your wardrobe – perhaps just look at winter clothes. Set aside a specific amount of time; for example half hour to an hour is a great starting point.

Emotional
Set aside time to identify the things that you do that drain you emotionally. Are there obligations you can reduce, associations you don’t get satisfaction from anymore, or relationships that you are hanging on to? Once you have identified them, the process of de-cluttering is the same. Start in one area and start small.