Stuff. There is always stuff. Stuff can be physical clutter, paper clutter, new clutter, old clutter, to-do-list clutter. Stuff can also be intangible – worry, planning, ideas, regrets, reminiscing, daydreaming, that which fills our mind.
Our living and work areas need space. Go to the container store, IKEA, or Bed Bath & Beyond, and they will happily sell you hundreds of dollars in bins and organizational tools to contain all the stuff. Earbuds and sunglasses, coupons and rulers – random items that are somehow necessary and end up all over. When they are needed, it’s a struggle to find them because of all the other clutter clogging up the area.
My husband was recently trying to find a sweatband to run with since it’s already sweltering at 7 a.m. We checked the hat area, sock area and bags. Nope, nope, nope. I likely donated the sweatband or threw it away, or maybe our dog, Chewie, decided it was his new toy. Needless to say, Amazon will be delivering some sweatbands in two days. The clutter gets in the way, and we don’t find what we need nor do we have space to properly welcome what’s new into our home. (I don’t know where I’ll store the new headbands. Sock drawer?)
Setting time aside to declutter creates the space to welcome those that actually need space at the time. The process of decluttering will be different for all. You may do 15 minutes daily. You may work by sections of your home or by tackling a whole area all at once. Whatever your method, schedule time to clear your physical space. Keep that which you love, and let that ring throughout your home or workspace.
Our lives get full of stuff, and oftentimes we don’t see the clutter growing. We wait until we absolutely have to before doing something about it. Scheduling time to declutter your physical space solves the problem. However, the same happens in our minds. Our minds are meant to think. It’s what is natural. People say, “I can’t shut it off. The thoughts just keep pouring in.” That is totally normal! That means your mind is working like most minds. Chugging along, planning, worrying, remembering and so on. Taking time to “declutter” the mind must be done consistently. This requires practice.
Clearing the mind is not an easy task, and THINKING about clearing your mind makes it worse. Your mind is stronger than your will; the fact that you are thinking about clearing your mind means your mind is not clear. Mindfulness exercises aid in decluttering the mind. By connecting with bodily sensations, our mind has something to do, so it is calmed into “slowing down.”
Pause your reading and simply listen to all the sounds around you. Can you hear five different sound sources? Can you hear yourself breathing? What about your heart beating? Did the sounds get louder once you paused to notice?
Now, reflect on what you were thinking and whether it slowed down or if you can recall what you were even reading prior to the exercise. Do you perhaps feel a bit lighter or calmer?
Decluttering the mind is simple, but unlike your physical space, it must be done consistently. The act of watching your thoughts or bringing awareness to your sensations can be done daily, even multiple times throughout the day.
Begin by scheduling five minutes a day and see if you notice any changes. Keep practicing and add time as you see fit. Commit to yourself even if you feel as if sometimes you aren’t fully “decluttering the mind.” This is all part of the practice. Make sure to show yourself some kindness for showing up to your practice.
