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Is clutter giving you depression? Or is clutter the result of the way you are feeling? The two go hand-in-hand and are certainly interchangeable. I know that when I am mentally not feeling my best, I clean less and my home is not as organized. Yet when I am in a messy home environment, it causes me extremely high levels of stress and even hopelessness. This creates a bit of a wheel effect and one just feeds into another in a terrible cycle. Whether your mess is making you depressed or you’re making a mess because you’re distressed, there is only one cure that will create more calm and clarity in your life, and that is to simply declutter and get your home in order.
Cleaning of course is not a cure for depression, but having a clean space to live in does impact your mood for the better. Sometimes when I’m feeling my lowest, mustering up the motivation to tidy up feels impossible, but once I do the feeling of accomplishment, pride, and comfort gives me a boost. I want that same feeling for you.
What you need is one full day to accomplish this goal. There are many methods to declutter your home and breaking it down into steps does work for some, but if you’re in a state of mental crisis, the only way to get some traction (and much needed relief from real results) is to to do it all at once. Of course, you may need to be more thorough later if you end up with piles of paper clutter or sentimental items, but the goal is to complete as much as possible in one day. This is going to take some much needed energy and motivation. One day and it is all done. Doesn’t that sound good? When I break down my cleaning into daily goals or steps it is easy to put it off for another day, get distracted, and come up with excuses. And when I clean one thing, it usually gets messy the following days when I focus on other tasks, turning my cleaning into one of those revolving doors of clean and repeat. I don’t want to get caught in that trap again.
One day is all it takes. Here’s how:
Get plenty of sleep the night before so you can wake up early and get started. The more you delay, the easier it is to lose motivation, procrastinate, and feel hopeless with the big task ahead. If needed, enlist the help of a spouse, roommate, family member, or friend. Never be afraid to ask for help.
The next step is to get started right away with one small task before eating breakfast. Do one small thing like cleaning the stove top or wiping down a dusty mirror so you can feel like you’ve accomplished a goal right away. Then eat a healthy breakfast so that you have energy for the day. And remember to stay hydrated.
The next crucial step is to open up your blinds to let in as much natural light as possible. This will make you feel better already. Then turn on some great feel good music to keep your mind entertained so that cleaning becomes more fun.
For laundry and dishes that can be washed by machine as you focus on cleaning, start those now. As your clothes are being washed you can focus on other tasks.
The first room you want to start with is your smallest room: the bathroom. This room is usually the easiest to clean because it has less stuff in it. Surfaces are quick and easy to wipe down. Be thorough; go through every single item and remove any clutter that you do not need: wrappers, old cosmetics, expired medical supplies, empty bottles, and products that you do not like or never use. You want to be very attentive so you won’t have to go back and have to reorganize it all again soon. Let it all go and keep only the essentials that you need, serve an important purpose, and bring beauty to your home. Don’t forget the linen closet! The reason why you need to start with the smallest room is because once it is clean, you will feel a great sense of accomplishment and be more motivated to continue with the next room. Work one room at a time.
Create a donate box for all items you’re going to remove (then put them immediately in your car to bring to a thrift or charity shop so they’re not hanging around forever) and a garbage bin for everything you’re going to throw away.
Now, undoubtedly, your biggest task will be your closet(s). You’re already done with one room. So let’s get to these next because they’re usually our most complicated clutter collectors. Remove absolutely every item from the closet. Before moving items back inside, make sure that the organization system is up to par and useful. Do you have good shelving? Is there a place for every item to be designated? Personally touch and examine each item to decide whether or not you should keep it before placing it back in an organized way or deciding to donate it. (I will be making a more detailed closet post soon as these can be more complicated to clean for many reasons.)
When working in larger rooms, work your way from top to bottom: all surfaces first, then the floor last. Remove everything that does not belong in that room, then focus on clearing all surfaces from counters to shelves, to bookcases, tables, and sofas. Again, declutter and remove anything you do not need, want, or use.
Put everything in it’s proper place. Everything you own should have its own home. If it does not have one, find one or remove the item altogether. For boxes, baskets, drawers, cupboards, and refrigerators, remove every item before going through it, removing the non-essentials, and placing every item back properly and toss what you should not keep.
If you need a break, take a nice walk outside or have a snack to rejuvenate. You’re half way there!
Go from room to room in this fashion. Once everything has been tidied and is in its proper place, you can do another declutter. Roam the room with your eyes. Do you see anything that serves no purpose? Is there anything out of place? Is anything an eye sore? Do you love every item you see? Anything that does not make you happy or serve an important function should be removed. Why surround yourself with items that do not bring you happiness?
Once each and every room has been decluttered, the final step is to beautify each room. Use what you already own to make each room look it’s best: rearrange furniture to change the look and flow of the room, reorganize books and displayed items, switch out pillows and decorative items, and rearrange areas that need some extra life. Move lamps to better light a room. Decorate with what you already have. You can give new life to an old frame by changing the photograph inside or moving it to a different place. If surfaces look too busy, try taking away a couple items to simplify. Decorating a clean room brings new life to your home. You do not need to buy new items to give an old room new life; simply change the way you display items that you already own.
