Clean the Space as Soon as You Remove Everything

In this article series, you've been reading about particular practices to employ as you’re decluttering (because you want less stress, right?!). Here's one that might surprise you but it will make such a difference in your overall stress:

Clean the shelf, drawer, tabletop, or wherever you are working as soon as you remove everything from that space.

For example, let's say that you decided to start with one bookshelf. The best way to proceed is to remove everything from that bookshelf including books, VHS tapes, DVDs, notebooks, knick-knacks, plants, pictures, piles of papers, etc. Note: In this case, when I am referring to your “bookshelf,” I mean only one shelf, not the entire 4- or 5-shelf bookcase. I don’t want you to be confused.

Once you have taken everything off the shelf, take a damp cloth, a “wipe,” or some other moist rag and clean off and/or clean out the whole area. Really wipe it down (and when you look at the rag, you will know it is a good thing you are doing this). I’ve worked with people who were horrified when they started cleaning an area (shelf, desktop, drawer face, and drawer bottom) because they needed rag after rag. This is also why I learned to bring a giant container of wipes whenever I did a productivity day in someone’s office. I knew from previous experience that we could easily go through 75 wipes + some paper towels and rags!

If you are wondering why this is one of the dozen ways to decrease clutter and decrease stress, it is this: Just seeing an empty and clean shelf, drawer, file, or wherever you are working, makes you more mindful and deliberate about what you choose to put back. 

It may seem like something small, but you’ll be a believer soon.

Where is the first place you’re going to empty and wipe down?

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For lots of ideas to help you get rid of stuff that is stressing you out, for a limited time, use the coupon code ADDECLUTTERLINKED to access the Declutter & Destress - Get Rid of Stuff That Stresses You Out class with my compliments. Or if a written publication is more to your liking, download my Get a Plan! Guide? to De-clutter & De-stress: A Dozen Ways to Decrease Your Clutter and Decrease Your Stress using the coupon code GAPDECLUTTERLINKED. Either way, you will learn several ways to start dealing deliberately with your clutter and experience a reduction in your stress. Access soon - the coupon codes expire 7/31/20.

About Meggin McIntosh

I’m a former university professor and administrator and am currently a coach, author, and workshop leader. People just like you, i.e., people who are overwhelmed and would prefer to be overjoyed instead, are the people I’m fortunate enough to attract and work with. I am thankful every day. https://meggin.com