Have you ever completed a major decluttering process only to find yourself drowning in clutter again within just a few months?
For many people, it can be very difficult to remain clutter free. The presence of clutter, whether emotional, spiritual, or physical, is a clue that someone is having difficulty being mindful.
Clutter happens in every area of life without the practice of mindfulness. Physical, spiritual, and emotional clutter hangs on to you unintentionally. This is really a description of what it looks like to not be mindful.
Clutter is a physical representation of living unintentionally – the antithesis of mindfulness. Every kind of clutter controls and hangs on to you — you don’t control it.
The presence of too much stuff – whether physical, spiritual, or emotional, can be a major contributor to feelings of being overwhelmed and stressed.
When you are feeling trapped with this stress over clutter, it leaves you less time and energy to enjoy the rest of your life. Learning how to practice mindfulness can help you more easily cut through every type of clutter.
One of the main reasons that people accumulate all types of clutter is because of the emotional attachment to the item, and associated person, or significant event in their lives.
For example, someone might have an excess of clothing in the closet – but never have anything appropriate to wear. This clothing clutter might have accumulated because the clothing is associated with a loved one who had gifted the clothing originally. So, this person with cluttered closets may have a difficult time decluttering them because they fear losing the attachment to that special person.
Use Mindfulness To Decrease Clutter and Stress
One of the great benefits of mindfulness is that it trains you to consider one thing (issue, item, or emotion) at a time. By being able to focus in such a specific and intentional way, it becomes easier to let things go that no longer serve you. It is easier to determine what serves you and what doesn’t when you consider each thing mindfully.
Stress can also be eliminated through the practice of mindfulness. When we keep too many things and emotions that no longer serve us, they can remind us of past people and events that have been hurtful. By acknowledging what was and letting go, you are free to mindfully focus on new possibilities that are still ahead.
How many times have you searched for something that you know you already have and ended up buying a duplicate? Has this ever triggered stress or frustration?
By mindfully considering each possession at a time, letting go of those that no longer serve you, and finding proper homes for your remaining possessions, you will decrease the stress and frustration that living a cluttered lifestyle can bring.
Reducing Clutter Also Improves Mindfulness
As you use the practice of mindfulness to de-clutter your emotions and possessions, a curious thing will begin to happen. With less mental and physical clutter, you will find it easier to practice mindfulness intentionally.
Mindfully releasing clutter becomes a cycle that can benefit every area of your life.
Mashibaby
To be honest, as a product reviewer I tend to have a lot of items around for reviewing …. clutter doesn’t bother me a lot but the fact that I have people around who not only laugh and criticize what I do is what really bothers me….my goal this year is to try to phase out these people….
Lisa
Sorry for the delayed response. Your comment got caught in spam. But to address your comment, that sounds like an excellent plan! Why keep people around who aren’t supportive of something that’s important to you?
Crystal
This is an interesting idea. I can see how mindfulness would help with detachment.
Lisa
I, for one, tend to get too attached to gifts that my husband has given me. That’s not such a bad thing when it’s something meant to be kept for a long period of time. However, I tend to get too attached to items that will eventually wear, like clothing.
Lisa
Also, sorry for the long response time. My blog has been inundated with Russian spam bots lately!