Is Your Clutter Weighing You Down?

It was 10 p.m. and I was moving out several of my son's personal items from his bedroom. Not because he was in trouble, and definitely not because I was punishing him, but because this was the third meltdown today.

And there was something I was beginning to notice.

When Our Surroundings Become Overwhelming

I had been homeschooling my special-needs child for about nine months. He was in second grade. I made the choice to homeschool him after realizing that he came home from school overstimulated, tense and full of anxiety every day.

One of the things I began to recognize about his classroom was how incredibly stimulating it felt, for me, as an adult. I almost couldn't be in there. So many things on the walls. Piles of papers on the desks, so many books they didn't fit on the shelf and more toys than the kids knew what to do with.

This was a good move for him and he began to thrive in a calmer and controlled environment.

I had already understood that clutter overwhelmed me, very much. I was in the habit of daily tidying because that helped me feel calmer in my body and emotions. I don't know why, I just knew it did.

Stacks of papers, books everywhere, and piles of 'junk' was really too much for my sensitive demeanor. So, regularly picking up had been a pretty consistent habit of mine for a while.

Creating Space for Calm

I noticed when my son was engaged with me, he did well. He was absorbing information and flourishing. When he would spend time in his room, he became anxious again. Easily overwhelmed and almost angry.

On that particular day, we were on his third meltdown.

I decided to conduct a little experiment.

I asked him how he felt about downsizing his room. I told him he could pick his favorite things to stay but that we could rotate things out so it didn't feel quite so full all the time. I was expecting some sort of push-back, but that didn't happen. Instead, he asked if he could stay up a little late to help.

I let him lead the way. We kept his most special things. We also stored a lot of stuff he really didn't use anymore. We cut back on the number of clothes in his drawer so it was easier to manage and set him up a shelf in the utility room of second-phase special things that he could rotate out when he wanted to.

This became an extraordinary support and decreased the amount of his meltdowns considerably.

That is also when I began exploring how our surrounding environment influences how we feel inside.

How Clutter Affects Our Emotional Wellbeing

The visceral experience of visual overwhelm. Too many things happening all around and at the same time.

Think about walking into a really cluttered room. Maybe your jaw tenses, or your shoulders tighten. You might even feel slightly disoriented or distracted.

This can make concentration difficult. When concentration suffers, so does our ability to self-regulate, settle down in our body, or feel comfortable engaging in our immediate surroundings. Especially if those surroundings stare back at you from piles of paperwork, unfinished projects and the mental chatter of that which requires our attention for all that still needs to be done.

Sometimes, there is even an emotional attachment when we are holding on to a lot of things because of old memories, guilt, expectations, or even the person we once were.

A lot of emotion gets wrapped up in what we choose to keep around us and why. We associate a lot of energy with our belongings – and sometimes this can become clutter and that will literally start to weigh us down.

Making Room for Something New

Reorganizing your immediate environment to be more in flow... you may feel this in your body. You might notice a sense of relaxation or calm when you walk into an organized, tidy or beautifully spaced room. Your shoulders may even relax, your muscles might loosen, even just a little or your jaw could even unclench.

That is the power of an environment that feels balanced, strong and empowering.

There is something truly miraculous that happens when you release things that once served you well but no longer do. It can feel like releasing emotional weight. Like Marie Kondo – the Japanese organizing consultant always says... if it no longer brings you joy, thank it for the time you had and send it on its way.

Simple Ways to Begin Clearing Clutter

A little bit of conscious organizing can go a long way. Feng shui can also be a very helpful approach.

I try to clear a drawer or area at least once a month and tidy my immediate surroundings daily.

Find a system that works for you!

Ultimately, keep the things that matter, remove what overwhelms and think about rotating things rather than permanently parting with everything.

Now, go clear some clutter!

If you resonated with this message, I invite you to receive my free Letters of Embodied Light. Gentle weekly reflections designed to help you reconnect with yourself and listen more deeply within. Visit me at www.cecejames.com today!