Clean Up The Clutter

Today is National Clean Up Your Room Day, something that many parents would like to be an ongoing habit for their family every day. This got me thinking about us clearing up mess in our lives.

On the weekend, I went to view a house that is for sale but is currently being rented out to tenants. When I saw the mess and clutter, they were either in the starting phases and preparing for today's national holiday, or the mess in the house is an indication of other turmoil in their life. 

A cluttered space in your home is no different to a cluttered brain. You know how difficult it is to find something when your house is upside down and in a total mess. Well, the same happens when your head is full of cluttered thoughts.

As a soft skills coach, I encourage my clients to clear out the clutter. A clear mind is essential for daily success. A head full of chaos will only result in disorder and disarray in your thoughts and actions, making you unproductive and frustrated. When frustration levels rise, you will find that your emotions take over. You may have emotional outbursts, behaving irrationally, doing things out of spite rather than acting in an emotionally intelligent way. 

Start each day by expressing what is taking up space in your head. Start by journaling the chaos. You need to understand that you may not have solutions to what is causing the clutter, but you will not waste precious energy stuck in your head by carrying the chaos around all day. Acknowledging your thoughts and feelings, then letting go of what you cannot change, this will be as good as tidying up your messy bedroom. Then spend at least 10 minutes relaxing and settling your mind for the day ahead. 

If you have a list of things, you need to get to, cleaning the cupboards, booking your dog for grooming, shopping, calls to return, etc., writing them down and organising these activities based on level of importance, then work your way through the list. At the end of each day, prepare a to-do list. At the start of each day, read through your to-do list; this will help you plan.

You can only start seeing the bedroom floor or the bed once you have cleared all the clutter and mess off it. As you begin letting go and clearing out your thoughts, you will start seeing things in a new light. Your turmoil will start to dissipate, and you will find that you will be much happier with yourself, your thoughts, your actions and your life.

So if you don't get around to cleaning up your room today, start the habit of clearing your thoughts every day and watch your life turn around.

Happy National Clean Up Your Room Day!