Is decluttering good for mental health?

Decluttering—is it good for mental health?

For people with hoarding tendencies, decluttering may not be good for their mental health initially—they will be stressed. Many hoarders will need professional help in order to declutter. Even those ordered to clean out a home in order to keep their children have failed. Marriages have failed when a hoarder cannot overcome their disability.

For regular ordinary folks such as packrats, collectors, shopping fiends with purpose, maybe decluttering is good for their mental health. Crafters will take you out if you mess with their supplies. Ahem, maybe that last was a little extreme, but you get the drift.

We all have different levels of organization and clutter tolerance. Problems develop when differing personalities share the same space. Many of us have a little hidden area in our lives where clutter hides…that closet, storage building, garage, attic, basement, spare bedroom, and junk drawer.

No one can declutter for you. You will resent them. You have to do it for yourself. You might ask for muscle power; however, unless you request it, you will not really want the verbal input such as, “why are you keeping that,” or “are you really going to get rid of that,” or “if you don’t want this, I’d really like to have it.”

I have organized a church kitchen, lots of cleaning, labeling, getting like with like, and donating some needed items to the church. The process did not involve getting rid of anything: just giving everything a home…and decluttering is complete.

I have helped a few friends organize some areas in their homes, with suggestions of where or how to store or display things….but did not comment about what they chose to keep or discard. In addition, I have been asked back to help again.

Decluttering need not mean disposal of items…if you do not have an overabundance of items in the first place. It can mean creating an oasis of calm, a retreat, an action station geared for your work style, a craft space/room.

Zoning, by placing items needed for a specific activity in close proximity, does help with removing clutter. Knowing the method of organization that works best for you will make the process easier.

Having a vision for a room or workspace and removing items that do not support that vision can be considered “decluttering.” Completing the process to achieve the vision for the area is liberating.

I do not know about you, but when I am successful in achieving a goal, my mental self gives me a high five. In this instance, decluttering is good for mental health.

You decide for yourself. Is the goal worth achieving? Are you willing to put forth the effort? Do you feel better after achieving your goal? Is being positive about yourself good?

Hum, you have the answer. What is your conclusion? Is decluttering good for your mental health?

New Email For Free E-Book in Word or PDF

Somehow when Google+ closed everything the email of the same name associated with this blog was rendered inaccessible to me. I cannot get in and cannot be acknowledged as the owner. So here, once again is the link to the new email, If you want the Free ebook/word/pdf document contact me. Let me know if it helps you live better with what you already have in your life.


creatingyourforeverhome@yahoo.com

Plush Animal Collections

There are a lot of ways to corral plush toys. This is the one I currently find the most interesting in terms of space and diy.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/733928619/stuffed-animal-storage-zoo-stuffed?ref=related-5&pro=1&frs=1

More description in the sellers marketplace. Marine bungee cord, screws with eyes to hold cord in place. Three squares and 4 vertical supports add height and square footage. Can be made to fit any area. Could fix a frame front for an older bookcase or entertainment center.

Attitude? A quick moment to reflect.

I was asked the following question on another website. Following the question is my reply. What would you say your reply?

If life gives you lemons, how do you make lemonade and not just lemon juice?

Carolyn Overcash, I am a mother, grandmother, aunt to forty five children.

I’ve had quite a few lemons over the past few years, but you make lemonade by adding the sweetness of life, relationships with others, investing in the goodness of others by your own giving to others, your encouragement to those striving to be better, the sharing of knowledge, and by faith—trusting in He who made you. 

You are His creation, you are to seek His purpose for your life, and strive to fulfill that purpose. When you are walking the correct path, even being handed lemons is not that bad. Look for the good. It is all around you. Life is sweet.

Getting mentally decluttered

How do you mentally declutter? How can I clear my cluttered mind? How do I focus on decluttering? How can I declutter my life and reduce stress?

First on the list is faith. I have my faith and when I am most stressed, that faith is my safety net.

Second is prayer or meditation, take time to be quiet and listen to that still small voice you hear.

Third, family and friends are more important than things. Store up a treasure house of good memories with your family and friends as the main actors in that house.

Fourth, give of yourself, your time, your talents and help others.

Fifth, learn who you are, what is your purpose and become the person that you would want as your best friend.

Sixth, tackle physical clutter, one step at a time.

Seventh, schedule time to tackle household tasks Every day.

Eighth, Take care of your health and your body

Ninth, find someone or something living to love.

Tenth, Let go of anger, resentment, grudges.

Eleventh, Forgive yourself and others

Twelfth, help someone in secret, neither brag or boast.

Entry into week 1 diary of Fashion Detox Challenge

Week 1: Dear diary

I have one 23-inch deep clothing closet…contains all my clean casual and dress clothing. My portion of the closet is 4 feet wide, hubby has the other side and a 4 feet wide section.

Using this challenge for not buying clothing for 10 weeks as the swift kick in the ---- that I needed. I was able to go through my closet and remove clothing. Sometimes, just getting started doing a dreaded task is enough to get you motivated to finishing a job.

During this week, I finished going through my closet and removed clothing. I found someone who wants the things that I wish to remove. They will go through the clothes and will get rid of what they do not want to keep.

Outgoing list

  One camisole

  Shirts (20, including the “shrunk “ones my husband dried)

  Two skirts

  Shorts (11 pairs--half with zippers and buttons)

  Pants (4 with zippers and buttons)

  Dresses (5 total -3 memory dresses)

I retained a few motorcycle tee shirts that are going to become a wheelchair throw for a vet.

This challenge is great, I have to take time to stop and think before I rush out and replace the things that I need to get rid of so I can appreciate the outfits I love.

Unfortunately, I blew it.  Shopping alert!

I do not buy many clothes. sometimes certain  purchases are a necessity. I purchased one pair of black flat-waist, stretch, straight-leg pants and one little black, knee-length dress. Two in and 43+ out, not a bad trade.

Note, I even have a little free space, maybe my clothes will be able to breathe.

Your Clothing Inventory

I joined a Fashion Detox Challenge-10 weeks without buying clothes and I started thinking…

How often do we take inventory of our clothing?

I am retired now. My uniform work shirts are gone. The pants are still here because I can still wear them. Five pair of jean stretch pants (wore for work when I worked up to 7days a week.)

How many of us have “twin” outfits? I know I do.

How many of us have that two or three or four little black dresses. We only wear one, not liking how we look in the other dresses?

My dress black slacks-multiple pairs need to find 2-3 that still fit.

I have various jackets that go with black to add color or jazz the outfit up. I have no idea how many there are. Might just be time to find out.

I know I have three long sleeve white blouses exactly alike, in addition to three or four more white blouses.

I have a variety of v-neck pastel tees; however, I have decided my gray hair needs darker jewel tones.

Hubby washed and dried my stretch tee shirts; unfortunately, they shrank vertically. Trust me; no one wants to see a pasty white belly.

With this challenge, I have to take time to stop and think before I rush out and get any new things. I need to get rid of duplicates or things that I have worn forever, definitely things that no longer fit or flatter.

Have you ever stopped and thought that instead of “fitted” styles that we need to pick styles that forgive that monthly bloat or weight gain?

Instead of that one size over our current regular size or that outfit that is slightly small (that we are going to lose weight to get into), maybe we ought to pick something that has an extra give.

Most of my fitted slacks are leaving my closet piece by piece. Slacks with some elastic in the waist are replacing them.

For all of you younger women out there, I am in that pear shaped group of people whose “sand” eventually shifts. The weight might be the same…the distribution varies from where it used to be.

Women’s bodies change after certain life events--birth of a child, weight loss, illness, injury, comfort/stress eating, and menopause. (Exceptions are few in my experience.) Make sure that you take stock of how your clothing fits after these life changes.

Plan for the difficulties of your fashion needs in your daily lives. Try to plan multiple outfits with the different clothing articles in your closet. Your budget will avoid a hit and your closet will have things you know you can wear.