5 Ways to Declutter Your Life and Beat Overwhelm, For Good

We all know the feeling of overwhelm; that wrung-out exhaustion with no idea where or how to start fixing the stresses behind it.

Making the decision to declutter your lifestyle is a great place to start.

Should we find ourselves buried in work and a demanding social schedule to match, we might feel that we have little time to deal with our own basic needs, such as eight-hours of sleep, healthy meals and time with our loved ones.

With this neglect, clutter begins to accumulate.

Clutter comes in many shapes and forms, such as the physical clutter which we can see and touch, and then tell ourselves we will deal with it later.

It can also be experienced on an emotional level; stress from growing daily pressures, or feelings of overwhelm and discomfort with your lifestyle and duties within it.

To be able to tackle these challenges in our lives, we should consider the following steps, to implement positive change and say goodbye to negative clutter, once and for all:

1. Get Organized

Love it or hate it, developing your organizational skills will help you get a grip on many aspects of your life.

Whether it’s time-awareness that catches you off guard, or self-management that often leads to loss of motivation, finding areas to improve how you organize your life can mean being a step ahead of the rest.

Start by writing things down: to-do lists, have-done lists, daily schedules, a monthly agenda.

Write down anything you can think of, that will aid you in getting to grips with your goals and prepare you for what’s ahead.

When it comes to the declutter of your environment, find ways to implement an organized routine, at home. A good place to start is by designating areas to return items to; dishes in the cupboard, unopened letters in a tray, shoes in the hallway, and so on.

Returning items to their pre-decided space will cut down a lot of procrastination in the long run.

2. Small Changes Stick

Starting with one small change is all that you need.

Don’t put any extra pressure on yourself.
Ask: What tiny change can I implement, today, that could benefit my daily routine?

Whether it’s committing to clearing your mind of clutter through meditation, for ten minutes each day; or implementing the habit of making the bed as soon as you get up in the morning, just one change, to begin with, can make all the difference.

Remember to keep it small and make it as easy as you can, as you get started. Then repeat daily to make it a habit.

3. Take it Slow

Great change doesn’t happen overnight, just as clutter accumulates over time.

Our natural urge to see results instantly can lead towards impatience and frustration, such as moments of binge-cleaning the house when the mess gets too much to bear.

Binges, in any form, never lead to consistency; when making life changes, be prepared to see the bigger picture and break your new routines down into manageable chunks.

If you feel overwhelmed because you’re always dashing about, trying to get everything done at once, look for ways to slow things down.

Delegate tasks, wherever possible, and leave enough time in the evenings to read, relax, switch off your phone and be present.

4. Choose Company Wisely

Clutter doesn’t just come in the form of stuff, it can also be social.

Look at the people in your life who lift you up and encourage you in the right ways.

Should you find yourself exhausted by a certain person’s company, then it could be time to move on. Toxic relationships do nothing but drag you down and dull your shine.

Make space in your life for those who truly want to know you and who leave you feeling happier, healthier and supported. You deserve friendships that fulfil you, without any hidden agenda.

5. Failure is a Step Forward

The word failure feels so final.

So, see it this way: each time we find ourselves succumbing to bad habits, we are presented with an opportunity to learn more about ourselves.

If you forget to do a specific task you’ve planned to help declutter your schedule, such as forgetting to make your lunch to take to work, before you go to bed, which leaves you racing to get out the door on time the next morning, look closely at what caused you to “fail”.

Do you avoid tasks when you’re tired? Is there something on your mind?

Once you identify the cause, look at ways to work around it in future. Failure becomes an opportunity, so don’t give up!

Remember that this is your journey, so accepting and understanding your own needs is essential to reclaiming control of your life.

We can learn so much about ourselves if we practice kindness and patience within our daily routines.

You can find more about how to declutter your home life in my latest book, The Habit Architect: At Home available on Amazon or by signing up to my mailing list at www.caroangell.com/subscribe

Embrace the journey and allow your passions to fuel you

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Erin shows overscheduled, overwhelmed women how to do less so that they can achieve more. Traditional productivity books—written by men—barely touch the tangle of cultural pressures that women feel when facing down a to-do list. How to Get Sh*t Done will teach you how to zero in on the three areas of your life where you want to excel, and then it will show you how to off-load, outsource, or just stop giving a damn about the rest.

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