It’s hard to engage in the present and live in mindfulness when everywhere we look there’s clutter and chaos. That’s what happens when your home becomes a disorganized dumping ground for stuff, things and unfinished projects.
Why does this happen? Because as soon as we try to focus on something we are pulled away.
First, if things are disorganized, we can’t find anything we need when we need it.
Second, not being able to find things takes up more of our time. Example, you’re looking for that pair of scissors and then come across six other things.
- Laundry that needs to be folded before tomorrow’s event.
- Discovering that your child has accidentally torn a pair of pants and you should probably do a quick repair, but now you can’t locate the sewing kit.
Before you know it, you’re seven distractions deep and not likely to ever return to the original task that you set out to accomplish. Where was that pair of scissors again?
To Live More Mindfully, Clear Away Clutter
How can we tackle the overwhelming task of simplifying our home so we can practice being mindful in our daily lives? Take steps to reduce the clutter and overwhelm.
Here’s a simple, practical plan that you can put into action in a single weekend to greatly reduce the amount of visual noise in your surroundings in the name of becoming more mindful.
Clear out a space to stow things away. Do you have an attic that’s not in use? Can you make room in the basement or garage? What about stashing things under beds? Adding shelves to the closet, or finding a small dresser that will fit in there?
Stock up on storage bins. Bins are the ideal way to sort through your things and then clear them out of your immediate surroundings. This way, they’re no longer taking up visual space and causing you to feel mentally overwhelmed.
Get labels. As you go through your various belongings and place them in bins, you’re going to want to know what’s going where so you can find it later when you need it.
Break out your Sharpie marker and labels. Think seasonally. You might have one bin for summer sporting goods, and another for summer clothing. Of course, put the Christmas things in one bin and have an Easter bin as well.
Sell it, donate it.
Plan to hold a garage sale, or get ready to purge items that you don’t use, to donate to Goodwill or a similar organization. If you have hoarding tendencies, you’ll have to rationalize why you’re better off without certain items. You can also remind yourself how easy it is to replace those items in time if you wish.
When finished with your home organization project, breathe a sigh of relief. Then, dwell in the good feelings of having clean, uncluttered living areas where you can relax, create, and enjoy life’s simple moments with your family.
What can you do to live more mindfully in your newly simplified space?
- Enjoy a hot drink on a clean, simply decorated kitchen table.
- Light a fire in the fireplace, and kick back with a few fluffy pillows to binge watch your favorite show. Or have game night at home while gazing around at a few cherished knick knacks framed family photos.
- Do a craft and sit mindfully, just enjoying the peacefulness and comfort of your home.
- Read or write in a sparsely decorated and cozy sitting room. Keep just few things out to make it personal, like some lovely wall art or a single flower in a vase.
Embrace a Mindfulness Practice in Your Life with Our Mindfulness Journaling E-Guide
We have a terrific, mindfulness journaling workbook and series of mindfulness exercises for you, in PDF format, for instant download via email. Click the link to take a peek. You’re moments away from your journey into mindfulness.
