How To Declutter Your Personal Space To Practice Self-care
Welcome to Be Your Own Date - a creative space dedicated to all things self-care and wellbeing. If you haven’t already done so, I encourage you to take a look at my other posts; I hope you’ll like them and find them useful too! I am building a collection of thoughtful articles, tips and resources to uplift you and get you thinking.
This time, I have decided to do something a little different: a two-part series on the benefits of decluttering. In this post, I will explore why it’s important to declutter as a way to practice self-care and where to prioritise your efforts, particularly the personal spaces that you use and enjoy the most.
In the second post, I will explore the practical and financial rewards of decluttering your personal space, so feel free to take a look afterwards.
Decluttering your personal space promotes self-care
You might be familiar with the phrase, ‘tidy home, tidy mind’ and I am inclined to agree. The clearer the space around me, the clearer my thoughts tend to be. We are all spending more time at home than ever before, feeling safe in our personal space, dutifully carrying out our caring responsibilities, working from home and much more. Therefore, to declutter and look after our personal space - our physical environment - is arguably an important, and often overlooked, part of our self-care and wellbeing routine.
We declutter for many reasons. This includes feeling inspired to spring clean and clear out your cupboards; to make room for new things and people to share with; to prepare to move home; and to help clear your mind, utilising a healthy coping strategy. Decluttering not only helps to keep our spaces tidy, it also helps to get us moving and raises our self-awareness - all of which promotes our physical, social, emotional and financial wellbeing too. For me, it is often a cathartic process that helps to relieve stress, deal with uncomfortable feelings and work through the things that are on my mind. Can you relate?
In some ways, the mere thought of decluttering, let alone the actual process, can be quite daunting. Yet, when broken down into small manageable steps, the pressure is lifted. Just reading this before pressing 'publish', led me to breathe a sigh of relief! So, I am convinced that to declutter is to practice self-care and can be a useful tool in boosting our wellbeing and mental health since the state of our personal space may reflect how we think and feel about ourselves - our state of mind.
Decluttering can reap so many rewards, don't you think? It highlights our ability to be organised and to take some control of our situation, especially during a time of uncertainty, and is also beneficial in encouraging us to review our needs and personal goals periodically. For example, when you declutter it is an opportunity to take the time to think about the things we need and should keep, as well as the things we no longer need - that no longer serve us - and can be removed or stored elsewhere. Something as simple as replacing my clothes rails with a wardrobe earlier this year supported me to better organise my clothes and accessories and made me feel so much better, so accomplished. Now, my resting space is visibly clearer, I have more space to move around and lie down on my yoga mat - yay! It really is one less thing to think about, which in turn promotes good sleep. For top tips on sleeping well, have a read of my post, A Good Night’s Sleep and/or listen to the accompanying audio.
To be clear, there is no shame in being messy or, ummm, eclectic - I have certainly had my moments! But I thought it would be useful to share a simple way to take good care of yourself by clearing the clutter, which also has a positive impact on the different areas of your life. Some prefer a more minimalist lifestyle and home, while others prefer more character and to be surrounded by an array of items, or somewhere in between. Whichever resonates the most, there is still room to prioritise, organise and declutter!
I love to dedicate a Sunday morning to decluttering, especially when I feel really motivated and energised - I’m like, “where did that burst of energy come from, let’s make the most of it!” Ever had that feeling? I get the music going, get into a zone, and feel so much better during and after the process. Funnily enough, there are also times when I really can’t be bothered to declutter, which is probably when I need to declutter the most and, 9 times out of 10, I’m so glad that I took the time to do it. I hope that you feel much better for it too. Why not listen to my Feel Good Spotify playlist to help get into decluttering mode?!
Tip: Consider decluttering your workspace too, wherever it is located, to help bring clarity to your thinking and boost your productivity in the workplace.
Prioritise the most important spaces to declutter in your home
Where do you spend the most amount of time in your home? Now, think about the most loved spaces in your home and prioritise them. For me, it’s my living space, resting space and hanging space - some or all of which will resonate with you. Replace the spaces as you see fit, to help focus and motivate you to declutter them. I would suggest one space at a time, so as not to feel overwhelmed, but do what works best for you. Which one will you start with?
That said, decluttering is not always easy as we often have an emotional attachment to our possessions, with fond memories and strong feelings that it evokes within us. For some of us, the decluttering process can be relatively straightforward, but for others, it can be far more difficult to let things go. So don’t be too hard on yourself if it takes longer than expected, and why not consider a declutter partner, someone you trust, for emotional support? You got this! On a more serious note, I also acknowledge that hoarding is a complex mental health disorder, which involves collecting an excessive amount of items, that some of us grapple with and can lead to a chaotic home environment. If this sounds like you, I encourage you to seek support when you are ready. Talking about this important issue takes me back to my time working in social care, particularly when supporting vulnerable adults, more on that another time maybe...
One thing that we can all agree on is that our living and resting spaces should be places of tranquility, safe places to relax and recharge, where we feel most comfortable. I tend to nest and hibernate more in the Autumn and Winter months, so that’s often a good time for me to declutter and have a good clear out. So, think about when might be a good time for you and when you are most productive - is it in the morning, afternoon or evening?
Now that you have identified your priority space, set a date and time to do it. Don’t you just love a SMART goal?! You know…
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-sensitive
Tip: Rate how you feel before and after you declutter on a scale from 1 (don't feel so good) to 10 (feel awesome). This will help you to take stock and appreciate the progress made - no matter how small.
So there you have it…organising your possessions and decluttering your personal space is one way in which to practice self-care and make you feel good, boosting your wellbeing (in all its forms) and mental health. When framed in this way, the importance of decluttering in helping to bring clarity to our thinking, mindset and goals is clear. And remember, taking small steps may help to ease you into the process.
Tell me, what are your thoughts on decluttering as a form of self-care? Let me know in the Comments section below and connect with me on your socials.
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Disclaimer: The content of this blog is provided for general informational purposes only, and does not constitute professional advice. For that, you will need to speak to your GP and/or local health provider.
