Declutter My Life

The world is rather chaotic right now regardless of which geographical location you call home. It may even feel like you have no control to help yourself or others. Around the 1930’s, Protestant theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote the Serinity Prayer “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference”. So, when the world around you is too chaotic, pull back and change something within your control. I guarantee you will feel better.

Physical Decluttering: I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “Less is More”. The American consumerism propaganda will tell you otherwise. In fact, when I go into a “Western-style” grocery market or home improvement store in the US or in Europe, I feel the pressure to buy even if I don’t need it right now. Therefore, in a life of overfilled cupboards, stuffed drawers, and ladened shelves, taking time to control the STUFF will refresh your mood and brighten your outlook.

Begin small. Choose one cupboard, shelf or drawer to clean out. First eliminate anything that’s trash (broken, overused, stained, unusable in the current condition). Then, with each of the remaining items ask yourself these questions:

• When did I last use it?

• Does it still have meaning or purpose in my life these days?

• Is it in the best placement or will it be used more if relocated to another spot?

Emotional Decluttering: When our emotions are internalized, they impact both physical and mental well-being. When our emotions are externalized, they impact ourselves and others. In today’s world, the overt emotional reactions people are externalizing are dividing people, rotting health, physically harming humans, and collapsing society. Lately, we’ve been asking ourselves, “What can we do to change the world?” and “What’s in our control?” Here are some ideas that will declutter your emotions while having a positive impact on your community and the world.

• Make an effort to smile at or greet the store cashier, bus driver, or a stranger on the street.

• Take a moment to give an extra hug to someone special.

• Turn off the screen sooner to eliminate doom-scrolling. Setting and responding to alarms help.

• Type your emotional reaction, then delete it. Don’t send it unless it can make a positive impact.

• Give a compliment to yourself, a friend, or a neighbor.

• “Pay it forward” by buying an item, holding a door open, or picking up an item someone dropped.

Mental Decluttering: Have you ever caught yourself in a bad habit and decided to fix it? Chances are the change impacted your cognitive pathways. Consider adjusting or changing one habit in your life to declutter the mental fuzz. This type of change is often trialed with New Year’s Eve resolutions, but mental decluttering, anytime, can lift your spirits and change your life. Again, start small and give yourself snaps every time you accomplish it. Here are some examples.

• Say or write a sentence of gratitude at the end of the day.

• Go outside for a walk or sit to absorb nature.

• Reset your diet with a small addition or subtraction (ex. add extra vegetables, subtract some of the coffees or sodas).

• Adjust your sleep habits.

• Reinvent an old passion/hobby or find a new one.

• Stop, close your eyes and listen to one song that uplifts you.

Digital Decluttering: Electronics rule our world by automating nearly everything, but somehow, we have less and less time to ourselves. With all the subscriptions, passcodes, and social media, it’s harder to keep track of our digital footprints. Decluttering our digital presence in the world helps protect our privacy, minimizes loss of important information, helps the electronic gadget run faster, lowers risk for fraud, increases attention and reduces the need for data centers. Notably the most cumbersome decluttering of all, here are some methods of digital decluttering.

• Clean out the favorites bar/tab. Do you really need that recipe you never made?

• Eliminate the apps which haven’t been used this year. They can be download again later IF needed.

• Unsubscribe from all those unnecessary emails that clog the inbox.

• Clean out email accounts quickly using the “sort” button.

• Purge any subscriptions which aren’t being actively used.

• Change passwords on accounts and eradicate the irrelevant accounts.

Financial Decluttering: The paycheck was deposited yesterday, but how come the money is already spent? Auto-deposit and auto-withdrawals are convenient and costly. Unless you are actively tracking your money and balancing your budget routinely, the spare change is draining out of your bank like a leaky faucet. Now is the time to declutter the financial faucet with these money-saving steps.

• Reduce the number of takeaway or food deliveries in a week. Eliminating even one per week will have an exponential effect.

• Discontinue contracts or subscriptions which are not used regularly.

• Review bank and credit card account activity every week or month to monitor spending habits and watch for fraud.

• Look for little charges on bank or credit card accounts (less than $5.00). Are they signs of fraud?

• Assess the grocery receipt before leaving the store. Are there overcharges on items?

• Analyze paystubs or paycheck app.

  • Is the level of health insurance effective for your family (vision, dental, hearing, pet, identity theft, etc.)?

  • How much money goes toward retirement contributions?

  • How much money goes to the Health Saving Account(HSA), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), Health Reimbursement Arrangements (HRAs), or Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs)? Is it enough or too much?

  • How much money is attributed toward charity donations?

  • How much money is spent on company purchases or meal?

  • How much is money is credited toward student loan payments?

  • Turn off the faucet, literally. Every drop of water down the drain costs money.

What might seem like insignificant things to do, especially when you just DON’T have the time, can help to make your life easier in the end. These actions can bright your mood, increase your relationships, give you more time, and foster your financial freedom. May you find acceptance, courage, and wisdom! ☺️