In the spring, we tend to naturally turn our attention to cleaning and decluttering. It seems as if it’s the time of year when we want to push up our sleeves and do some deep cleaning. However, before you stock up on your cleaning supplies and dive into your cleaning checklist, I want to encourage you to consider some other areas of your life that may also need a little seasonal reboot. Let me explain.

Life is messy. There are the physical messes, bread crumbs all over the kitchen counter, dog hair on the floor, and the cupboard doors that remain left open instead of closed (why?). Then there’s the weight of emotional messes. These can be as small as the angst we feel when we can’t find something we desperately need to locate or as big as being let down or disappointed by others. And these physical and emotional messes can often add to our mental stress load. Mental clutter can look like too many to-do items running through our minds all at once which then leads to a sense of overwhelm.  

It’s important to recognize that life is messy, and it always will be. 

And what I mean by this is that life is unpredictable, and as much as we can plan and prioritize things, or clean things up, they will get messy again. Therefore, the more you can accept this reality, the more you will be able to live your life with a greater sense of peace and purpose. 

So instead of only looking at your physical spaces to clean and organize, also add to your list the emotional and mental areas of your life too. This will help you to live even more intentionally and realistically. And when we address all three – physical, emotional and mental clutter – we are then able to simplify our lives even more. 

Less clutter equals less cleaning, which is definitely a win-win!

“Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”

Ephesians 5:15-16 

Physical Clutter

Start by resetting your home and getting rid of those things you no longer need. Clearing your physical clutter can do wonders for your visual space and will also help you with keeping things clean and organized. 

• Clutter: work room by room, one space at a time, and enlist support.
• Containment: identify which areas of your home need additional systems to help with organization. (A basket to collect shoes at the door, a place to drop incoming mail, or an inbox for school papers.) Often a few changes can make a big difference!

Emotional Clutter

Take some time to explore how you could bring your emotional health into a better balance. It’s easy to let this part of your life become overstuffed without even realizing it. Check in with your emotions and stresses and see what might need some adjusting.

• Relaxation: evaluate if you are protecting enough time in your schedule for your self-care and soul care. You need to keep your tank full in order to best weather the storms of life (aka – the messes!).
• Relationships: your connections and communities are essential, but it’s important to also have a sense of harmony within them. Work to find a balance when it comes to expectations and commitments. 

Mental Clutter

Does your mind feel overly cluttered? Are you overwhelmed trying to keep up with everything?  Resetting how much you need to process and remember can be a game changer.  

• Decisions: eliminate any and all distractions and decisions you can. Implementing boundaries around information sources can immediately decrease the amount of incoming communication that you need to sort through. 
• Delegate: decrease some of your mental clutter by delegating more. This may be as simple as jotting things down on a list or assigning tasks to another qualified person. When you intentionally spread your mental load, you’ll minimize burnout. 

The changing of the seasons naturally encourages us to do a reboot, and we’re going to do just that! We’re going to push up our sleeves, clear the clutter, and aim for less perfection and more wisdom. All while wearing our reality colored glasses so we can better ebb and flow with the messes that life will continue to bring our way. 

Encouraging you to choose well and live well.