Dr. Alex McDermott's Blog

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Spring clean your mind!

Most people have had the experience of tidying up a space, only to watch it devolve into clutter once more. We may convince ourselves that we can tidy “a little at a time,” but find that this means we are tidying forever. According to Marie Kondo in her book ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,’ decluttering not only transforms your home space, but alters your mindset and eventually, your life.

Ms. Kondo asserts that when we are in a tidy space, it frees us up to explore our own anxiety (perhaps efforts to avoid that anxiety is fueling our cluttering). When clutter is no longer the focus, we are forced to examine and confront the things that are really important to us: Am I happy in my relationship? Why haven’t I pursued that job I’ve always dreamed of having? In this way, cleaning the physical space allows us to also clear our psychological space.

Get ready to clear your home AND your mind! Here are some spring cleaning tips:

-        Begin by discarding objects and items that no longer serve you. Visualize (very specifically) the kind of space you would like to live in. Begin to think in terms of what you want to keep, not want you want to get rid of. Ms. Kondo recommends keeping things that “speak to your heart.”

-        Pursue simple storage. Storage is often used as a way of hoarding things that do not speak to your heart.

-        Focus on building a space that is sacred and calming—a comfortable environment, a place you feel like relaxing.

Tidying your space allows you to let go—of objects that no longer serve you, or of past psychological baggage. It can build your confidence in your own decision making abilities, help you manage your anxiety, and generally reduce high levels of stress.

For more information about the transformational nature of decluttering, read Ms. Kondo’s book ‘The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.’

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