Physical and mental clutter

10/2/2017

I have previously written about the effect physical clutter has on the mind and how we perceive not just the clutter, but everything else around us. Once there is clutter in our homes, it will invariable attract more clutter. And although we might not realise it, our unconscious self will be aware of that accumulation of things that do not belong, and it will start to feel like they are closing in on us.

How does this work? Well, we humans are very good at becoming accustomed to the way things are. From a biological point of view, we recognise normal situations without change as harmless, while change is something we perceive as potentially dangerous. Both those concepts apply to clutter in various ways.

In clutter terms, ‘normal’ is what we are used to, meaning that the pile of magazines that has been sitting on the floor since ages long past registers as ‘normal’. Our active attention does not worry too much about it, because we are still always looking out for what we perceive as ‘danger’. So you would think that ‘normal’ would keep us calm and relaxed, right? Sadly, it doesn’t. Our subconscious is still sitting in the corner waving its little red flag to draw our attention to something that isn’t quite right, but we either chose to ignore it, or simply are too busy with other things to recognise it. Either way, there is an underlying unease. And that unease is cumulative, because for every single situation where this applies, another little red flag starts another little doubt.

“If you have clutter in your real life, your tangible life, then it really adds to the emotional clutter in your mind.”
(Giuliana Rancic “I Do, Now What?: Secrets, Stories, and Advice from a Madly-in-Love Couple”)

Now for the other end of the spectrum: remember, we perceive change as potential danger, because that could imply a predator on the prowl. I know, it’s simplistic, but this concept works for the intended purpose. In terms of clutter, ‘change’ is when new stuff is being placed somewhere unexpected. At first we feel a little bothered because it takes up space where open space used to be (something ‘normal’ is changed to something new). However, this unease quickly evaporates once our brain has filed that new use of the space as ‘normal’ and our attention goes elsewhere.

“Clutter is the physical manifestation of unmade decisions fueled by procrastination”
(Christina Scalise “Organize Your Life and More”)

They get us coming and going, don’t they? Think again: actually, while those two hard-wired behaviours might be working against us, they also hold the advantage we need to get decluttering. The ‘change’ response creates a window of opportunity – short as it may be – to take action. Whenever you feel that unease about putting something down in a place it does not belong, it helps to tune into that feeling and take action straight away. It’s important to tune your mind to the frequency of that unease and listen to your feelings. The key to success is to overcome procrastination: make a decision right there and then, and you will stop clutter from accumulating in the wrong place from the moment it tries to take root.

As for the experience of ‘normal’, this is down to habits and how we deal with them. Habits (what we perceive as ‘normal’) are difficult to change, it is true, but there is a positive side to this as well: once you have managed to change a habit, the new one is as tenacious as the one you conquered. It’s a question of fostering those habits that serve you well, and eradicating the ones that don’t.

As you can see, the mind has ways to clutter itself up, and one of the main things the mind has created on its own is our innate ability to get used to what feels harmless (the ‘normal’). And THAT, in return, leads to more clutter overall. So what we have here is a vicious circle that has to be broken at some point, the sooner the better!

Which brings us back to the crux of the problem: how can you do this? My best answer to this question is to start with baby steps and small changes to create your first success stories, and taking it up and out from there, to ever bigger actions.

I personally do not believe in the idea that a big old cleanse takes care of everything: whenever I see one of those hoarder series on TV, I keep wondering what will happen a couple of months afterwards. The first effect may well have been that the house in question is cleared of years of junk (don’t get me wrong: that is most definitely a good thing and sometimes has to be done), but it will probably return to something similar to its old state eventually. Why? Because the underlying reason for the clutter accumulation has not been addressed. And that is where things have to happen if decluttering is to be successful. Habits have to change, laziness has to be overcome, procrastination must be stopped, the idea of hygiene has to become engrained in the mind, and so on.

And those things not only take time, they take effort, they take vigilance.

The point of the matter is this: as long as there is physical clutter, there will also be a level of anxiety in your mind that will keep you from finding true rest in your home. The only way to reach that point of relaxation is to take out the clutter and with it the cobwebs that clog up the mind.

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