Have you ever considered the psychological power of clutter? How many times have you looked at a pile on a kitchen table, a desk, or in the corner of your room, and thought, “I just can’t deal with this?” In part two of this series, we are going to look at how clutter can represent unfinished business in several ways.
- Physical reminder: Clutter can be a physical reminder of tasks that need to be completed. For example, a stack of papers on your desk might remind you of a report that needs to be finished, or a pile of laundry might remind you of a task you’ve been putting off.
- Mental weight: Clutter can also create a sense of mental weight or burden. When we’re surrounded by clutter, it can be difficult to focus on the tasks at hand, and we may feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of stuff that needs to be sorted and organized. This is due, in part, to the visual cortex, an area in our brains that literally gets jammed up trying to sort the visual clutter in the room!
- Procrastination: Clutter can also be a sign of procrastination. We might avoid completing a task by distracting ourselves with other things, like surfing the internet or watching TV, and that can lead to clutter building up.
- Unresolved emotions: Sometimes clutter can be a symptom of unresolved emotions. For example, we might hold onto items because they remind us of a person or a time in our lives that we haven’t fully processed or let go of.
I know that in the life you’ve been given at the moment it may feel like a bomb went off, and you may wonder why even bother? You should bother because you’re worth the effort. The life you will say goodbye to in the process of decluttering is worth the effort, and most importantly, the new hello that is waiting for you at the end of the process is definitely worth the effort!
Remember, you can do this, and I’m here to help.
Julie
Navigating Widowhood 