Did you know that decluttering is good for your mental health? You might be surprised to find positive mental health benefits from going through your closets and getting rid of things that no longer serve you. Freeing up our physical space and letting go of extraneous items can help us feel better. Plus, it gives us the opportunity to free up mental space for other things
You’ll feel more in control of yourself and mental health
Getting rid of items in your physical space can help you feel refreshed and happier. When we remove clutter from our physical space, it makes us feel more in control of the remaining items. Additionally, it allows us to feel empowered, since we have the power to get rid of anything that no longer serves us.
When you declutter your space, you make many decisions on what to keep, throw away, donate, or pass on to someone else. Making all these decisions can help you be more decisive in other areas of your life. Being more decisive can help you feel more confident and empowered to deal with life’s challenges.
It can relieve anxiety symptoms
A clear physical space can also reduce stress and relieve anxiety symptoms. That’s because getting rid of extra items can make us feel at peace. Feeling in control of our space can also help us feel less anxious. So much anxiety is linked to feeling out of control or worries about things that are out of our hands.
Additionally, when we sort through items from our past, we also process the emotions that we felt then because of the memories that old items bring up. You may look back on previous times nostalgically, or be happy that they are over. Both feelings can help us decrease anxiety and stress.
Decluttering for mental health increases your ability to focus
With less clutter around you, you’ll be able to focus on the things that truly matter to you. Instead of spending your time and energy worrying about cleaning and how to manage your space, you open up the opportunity to focus more on the things and people that matter to you.
You can also find mental clarity through decluttering. Being in a clean space can help us feel more grounded. Often, when we have a long list of things that need to be done, including cleaning and organizing, we struggle with brain fog. Decluttering for mental health can help you to feel more tuned-in, motivated, and mentally energized.
Learn more about the author: About Therapist Samantha Nolan, MA, LPC, ATR- Barnum Counseling
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