Clearing the Clutter: Tips for Simplifying Your Life and Environment

It seems like today, everyone is stressed out. We have created a culture that takes us from place to place with what feels like no rest in between. How many tiny inconveniences do you put up with on a daily basis? Each one of those seemingly meaningless irritations are draining you of your joy in the present moment. With the New Year upon us, it is time to reclaim your joy. The best way to start is by simplifying your life. By clearing out all the chaos, you find the peace of mind, and with that peace comes freedom from the stress and constraints of an over-crowded life. Change Your Attitude Before you are able to simplify your life on the outside, you must simplify it from the inside. Changing your mindset can shift your perspective on everything around you. A good place to start is with meditation. By quieting your mind, even for only a few minutes each day, you create space for good thoughts to flood your mind. Another vital part of a simple life is gratitude. When you are practicing gratitude in a meaningful way, you find that all of the material things of the world fall away. Gratitude requires that you be serene, happy only with what you have and not needing any more. As you continue this practice, you will find that you already have more than enough and only chase the things that truly bring you happiness. Rearrange Your Life Start with the furniture. You know that couch that you bump into every time you walk through the living room? Move it. That pile on your desk that you just keep stacking things on top of? Clear it off. All of the little annoyances in your life, find them and rearrange. While you are rearranging, consider creating more white space in your decorations. Creating white space in your life can bring peace in unexpected ways. White space highlights the few, beautiful pieces you have. De-Clutter Now that things are rearranged and you are creating white space, take out the clutter as well. We all have it, the things that have built up over the years. We are not overly attached to them, and yet we can't quite get rid of them. A good place to start is your closet. Have a friend come over and help you decide what to keep, what to trash, and what to give away. Once you are satisfied with your clothes, move on to other parts of the house, particularly those that tend to build up clutter like the kitchen and the garage. Store the Rest Once you have taken out all of the things that you no longer need, you have to decide what to do with the things you need to keep, but don't need all the time. These could be sentimental items like family heirlooms, or things that you only use occasionally, like Christmas decorations. You don't want to get rid of these things, but you also don't need them crowding up your space. An excellent solution to this problem is outside storage. Local self-storage units are easy to find and great for keeping your belongings secure. They can be the perfect hideout for your valuable and seasonal items. rnThese are only four of many ways in which you can de-clutter your life. By starting the New Year fresh, you set the precedent for the rest of the year. Decide that this year you will lead a peaceful life, full of joy and gratitude. Then take action to make a change. Once you have made that decision, the rest is a piece of cake!