Tranquil Topics

Decluttering: A Path to Mental Clarity and Wellness

• Stephanie Graham • Season 1 • Episode 15

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Feeling overwhelmed by clutter? Join me as I explore the transformative power of decluttering! In this episode, I delve into the definition and process of decluttering, sharing personal stories and insights on how a tidy space can significantly reduce stress and anxiety. We discuss practical tips to help you start your decluttering journey, emphasising the importance of setting goals and sorting items into manageable categories.

Decluttering isn’t just about creating physical space but also enhancing your mental wellbeing. With a little guidance, listeners can tackle clutter with intention and mindfulness, thoughtfully deciding what to keep and what to let go of.

Discover how to ask yourself critical questions about your belongings that can help you identify what truly matters in your life. Plus, learn about the benefits of digitising documents and photos to further reduce physical clutter in your space. 

I hope this episode inspires you to begin your own declutter journey, celebrating each small step you take towards a peaceful, organised life. Ready to embrace the change? Tune in and let’s get started—your clutter-free life awaits!

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Steph:

Hello, welcome back to Tranquil Topics. I'm your host, Steph, and today it is just me. It's been a while now since I've recorded an episode on my own, as I've had a run of guests which I've absolutely loved talking to and learning from, and this week I'm going to talk to you about decluttering. I must say I've woken up this morning with a cold, so if my voice sounds a bit different, that is why, and when I was thinking of what to talk about this week, I decided on decluttering, because we did this last year and I feel so much better for it, so I'm hoping that this will help you as well.

Steph:

So the definition of decluttering is the process of removing unnecessary items from a space to make it more organized and pleasant. It involves sorting through belongings and deciding what to keep, donate or discard to reduce clutter and create a more functional environment.

Steph:

Now, decluttering also offers numerous benefits for mental and physical well-being. So some of these benefits include reducing stress and anxiety, because a cluttered environment can feel overwhelming and stressful. I know I can relate to that. Decluttering improves focus and productivity, so an organized space means that your ability to concentrate and be productive will be higher. You don't have the distraction of the clutter, and I can also relate to this because there's been so many times that I've not been able to fully concentrate on a task that I've been trying to do, because at the back of my mind I'm thinking about something else that needs to be done. It can also help with mood and mental health. By living in a tidy environment, you can improve your mood and overall mental health, and it can lead to feelings of satisfaction and accomplishment. Decluttering also enhances physical health, so not only are you being active whilst you're sorting through things, it can reduce dust and allergens in your home as well, leading to a healthier living environment. Removing unnecessary items can free up physical space and mental energy, and it can make your home as well, leading to a healthier living environment. Removing unnecessary items can free up physical space and mental energy, and it can make your home feel more spacious and less chaotic as well. Now, decluttering encourages you to be more mindful about what you can keep in your space and focus on what truly matters to you in the process.

Steph:

Now, there are two previous episodes on my podcast where Maggie, a Feng Shui expert, came on to talk about the home, and it links in well with decluttering because of being mindful and what you are looking for in life. So, for example, are you looking for a new job or a new relationship, but you're keeping old ID cards, old pay slips or maybe even old pictures or cards from a past relationship. Ask yourself, why are you keeping them? Do you really need these things in your home, in your life? Are they allowing you to move forwards towards the life that you want? So, for example, clothes that you haven't worn in years. Your actions speak louder than words. So if you clear it out they're not gathering dust, re-home them, give them away to charity, sell them, make room for the new to come into your life. If you declutter with intention, you can invite in what you're looking for, whether that is a new job or new friendships, new relationship or even if it's just peace and to have an organized home.

Steph:

I watched Netflix and there was a show that had I can't remember what it's called now I did watch it last summer but there was a Japanese organizer and consultant called Marie Kondo and she was fabulous. She's so calm, she's got this lovely way about her and she goes into people's homes to help them and she helps them declutter in a way that it's just so relaxing. So it sounds a bit woo, but she speaks to the house. She's just got so many useful techniques, such as like folding things to create more space, so I utilized them techniques when we did our declutter to basically be more efficient at saving space and fit more things into drawers. Last summer when we did this declutter, we went through every room, every drawer, every cupboard, the loft. We did a tidy up, deep clean and just made sure that the house really felt fresh, loved and looked after. I think it's a good time of year to do these things because there's always more things in the house following Christmas. At the moment in England the weather is not great at all. It's been raining sideways this week and Spring is just around the corner and when it arrives you can enjoy the lovely feeling of a clean and organised home.

Steph:

This declutter was also a mental cleanse for me because at the time I had the weight of exams and uni done, I was off for the summer and I could really focus on each room at a time. So a few tips for starting your declutter is to pick one room. I started with the lounge because that was the room that had the least things in, and when we have visitors, that's the room that they automatically go in. So it was an easy decision for me, but to keep things that truly bring you joy and happiness is so important. You could rearrange furniture if you want to. I wanted specifically everything in the house to have its own place and not just shoved in a drawer, and it's important that you don't put a time limit on yourself for this. So even if you did 10 to 15 minutes a day, it will make such a huge difference over time and you will be able to feel that difference in your home.

Steph:

When it came to decluttering the kitchen, that was the second room we did and that was a huge job. I organised the cupboards. The drawers took the longest and it took about two weeks to do the entire kitchen. It was things like Tupperware, we had loads of it. Rearranged under the sink where we kept all the cleaning things, and now it's neatly organized and I've got baskets, I'm a huge fan of baskets to keep everything in an order in its place. I also don't like spiders, so for me, the motivation behind decluttering was so if there was a spider in the house. It didn't have anywhere to hide, so that was a huge driving force behind it.

Steph:

And a few things to think about upstairs is tackling what you have in your wardrobe. Again, this took me quite a while and I did give a lot away to charity. I sold some things on Vinted, I gave away a few items to friends and I realised there were clothes in my wardrobe that I was just never going to wear again. Some were cherished memories, like when I was in high school we had our first family holiday abroad and we went to the Algarve in Portugal, and I have a top from that holiday which says Portugal on it. It's in the colours of the Portuguese flag and I wanted to keep it, even though I know it will never, it will never fit me again, but I have such good memories attached to it.

Steph:

So Alan also used to play rugby and he has tops from when he did a tour in Africa and when we were doing this he also wanted to keep them, but he knew he wouldn't wear them again. So, going back to Feng Shui, I found the travel area of our home and I made this like a travel corner, so I put all these things in drawers in that area of the house there's also brochures in there and spare money from different countries that we've been. And what's really strange is at the end of last year, we got offered a free holiday to the Algarve in Portugal through Alan's work. So we're going there for a weekend in July, and I just found that a bit weird. I was thinking like have I somehow made that happen by putting the top in the corner according to Feng Shui? I don't know, who knows, but if that has happened, we may get offered a trip to Africa or Hawaii or somewhere else though, you never know.

Steph:

And once you've sorted through your wardrobe, then you've got shelves, you've got storage under the bed, that was a big one for us as well and removing out of date products like makeup. I had a huge cleanse of makeup items that had gone out of date and I just don't wear anymore. I also found it helpful when it came to our study to declutter and put things into groups. So, for example, the study was also a big job for us. I think the biggest rooms in the house were the kitchen, the study and obviously the loft, but we left this room until last because of all the paperwork we had. We have so many books and I scanned on my old payslips to the computer. I scanned on important documents. We took one folder at a time rather than taking everything off the shelves at once, because if we'd have done that, even I would have thought no, this is just too much, and I'd have been stepping over these mountains of paperwork probably for weeks. So I organised new folders, things like all the instruction manuals we have, health records, certificates, they all have their own folders now. We recycled so much. We shredded loads.

Steph:

I went through photos I think I mentioned this on the Feng Shui episode, actually but I went through photos. There was photos that I had from school. There was my school yearbook. I didn't enjoy school. They shouldn't be in my house, so I got rid of them, got rid of duplicates and the photos that I did keep were put in an order. So also things like in the drawers, we have so many pens that didn't work, and it's little things too, which is why decluttering isn't just about shoving everything into a drawer so the room looks clearer. It's about going through everything, deciding does this have a place in my home? And if I moved home, would I take it with me, and I found this one of the hardest because it also links in with digitizing things.

Steph:

So, as I mentioned, I'd scanned on important documents to the computer, but then it leads on to digital decluttering, which involves your email inboxes, unsubscribing from things, photos on your phone. I moved these to my computer using the Send Anywhere app, which is completely free. I personally think it's great because I'm not very techy and you can literally send photos with a code to your computer and then just download them and save them on your computer. There's apps that were on my phone that I've downloaded and I've never used. I don't need them, so they had to go, and about once a year now, I have always gone through my phone contacts and deleted numbers that I no longer need or use, and that might sound harsh, but it's the same with social media unfollowing accounts that don't bring me joy anymore. Another thing to consider is we don't have a garage. If you do have a garage, my personal advice would be to get someone else to declutter it in case there's spiders in there, but the garage or the shed is actually a great place to put things that you're unsure of whether you want to keep them or get rid of them. So if you put them in the garage or shed, they're out of sight, out of mind, and you can make a note to check it in a month's time and see how you feel and take it from there as to whether you bring it back into your home or get rid of it.

Steph:

Now, the final thing we did was we went into the loft and there were so many runs to the tip with things that we found in the loft. Alan had so much paperwork up there I can't begin to tell you how much paperwork was in there. There were boxes and boxes and we spent we definitely spent a month up there, just not every day, but it took so long and neither of us really wanted to go up there, if I'm honest, which is probably why it took longer than the other rooms as well. But we got rid of stuff, went to the tip, we recycled, we shredded, we rehomed things. The things that we kept we put into boxes, have made a travel part of the loft. So all of our cases are in one area. There were things we wanted to keep but we didn't have a place in the house, such as there was some framed photos and games, and Christmas decorations are now all tidy and we gave it a good clean as well. So now I can honestly say that I know where everything is in the house and it's such a good feeling.

Steph:

I love organizing. I love tv shows where teams go in and they help people declutter. And from doing it in our own home, I've decided that we're going to have a seasonal declutter to keep on top of it so we don't have to do this massive declutter again at any point. So, as well as the house, another thing to consider is if you have a car. I bought a boot bag organizer off Groupon years ago now and it's amazing for keeping my boot nice and tidy. So in it I think I've got my tyre pump, I've got shopping bags and the base of it velcros down to the boot so it stays in one place. I would definitely recommend. I don't know if Groupon sell them anymore, but I'm sure you can get them from anywhere. Just type in boot bag organiser and I love the feeling of getting into my car after I've cleaned it.

Steph:

So to sum up, tips to help you get started decluttering include Include number one set a clear goal. Identify the reason why you want to declutter. For me, I wanted a peaceful home environment and I wanted us to be prepared for when we do come to move house we We don't have to do this at that point. It's already done for you. It could be the same reason. It could be to make space for new activities, but having a goal can keep you motivated to keep going.

Steph:

Number two start small. Begin with a small area like a drawer or a shelf. It can make the task feel less daunting, less overwhelming, and it can give you a sense of accomplishment as well. You don't need to make it this massive thing. A drawer a day is more than enough.

Steph:

Number three sort items into piles. You can have a keep, donate bin, relocate pile. This can help you when you make quick decisions about items. You can also have an unsure pile and come back to it at a later date to see if you feel differently about it. This is like when I mentioned putting things in the garage or a shed and keep them out of your mind, so when you go back you can really assess how you feel and if you want to keep them or not.

Steph:

Number four focus on one room at a time.

Steph:

Five ensure everything has a designated place.

Steph:

Number six try to keep only things that truly bring you joy or have significant meaning, and not because you feel you need to keep them for somebody else's sake. So Marie Kondo talked about this in her program. I think she has a book as well, but I haven't read that yet. Um, she talks about only keeping things that really bring you happiness and the things that don't. Why are they in your house? You know, if they make you feel a certain way, you have to consider your own feelings as well, and what's that making you feel every time you see it.?

Steph:

Number seven digitize when possible. So scan these things onto your computer and the photos and just reduce the physical clutter. One thing I would say with digitizing things is to make sure you have a backup, because one of my fears was losing things or them going corrupt and not being able to get hold of them. So get a backup drive if you are digitizing things. And the final point is to acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small it is, so this can keep you motivated to continue the decluttering process.

Steph:

And I'll end the episode today by saying if you struggle with motivation or you feel overwhelmed by the thought of even starting, start small. Get a friend around to help. Don't overwhelm yourself. You can set achievable small goals and you will get there. There's no deadline for this as well, so just do what you can when you can. I really hope this has been helpful.

Steph:

Thank you for listening to Tranquil Topics. You can follow me on instagram @ tranquil topics, and if you enjoyed this episode, please leave a rating and review and please share it with anyone who might benefit from it. Take care, and I'll be back in two weeks time with another episode. Bye.