Cleanse the Space
How do you “cleanse your space”?
It’s always been my natural tendency of mine to want a clean and decluttered space. Even as a child, if you walked into my bedroom you would find a very organized mess. I always thought my cleaning habits were a side effect of my anxiety, but how I’ve come to understand it now is that my habit for a clean space was more like my brain protecting itself from future anxiety attacks. Understanding this about myself is what led me to explore the benefits of having a clean space! Picture this, you wake up in the morning, walk to the bathroom to wash your face and brush your teeth. But when you enter the bathroom it’s a royal mess. It’s dirty, there are makeup and self care products everywhere, it smells of wet towel, and you’re tripping over yesterday’s clothes. What would that do to your mood? How would that set your mood up for the rest of your day? Or maybe, you open the front door after a long day of work and you’re immediately greeted by a mess. There are unfolded blankets on the ground, papers cluttered on the dining room table, dirty dishes overflowing from the kitchen, and the stinky scent of trash fills the air. How do you think the rest of your night would play out? How might this change the way you interact with other people in your space? Finally, you’re just winding down your day, you’ve journaled and now it’s time to go to bed and read. But when you enter the bedroom your bed is not made and there are dirty clothes dumped everywhere. Your vanity spills over with junk. Your nightstand is piled high with books, mugs, and water cups. You’ve got work papers messily piled on the ground next to your side of the bed. The closet doors are wide open with shirts, dresses, and pants pouring out. The lights are dim, not because you have a dimmer, but because they haven’t been dusted lately. Do you think your body would be able to wind down and enjoy a restful sleep? Where would your mind wander when it notices each of these messy spaces in the room? I’d be willing to bet that we’ve all experienced at least one of those scenarios in our lifetime, and that if we paid real attention to how we felt in those moments, and how our moods shifted, the outcome of our day may have also changed. But I also know it can feel overwhelming to think about keeping your space perfectly clean at all times of the day. That feels overwhelming to me too! Instead of biting off more than we can chew, I recommend choosing one small area of the house every day to “cleanse”. I don’t mean starting with the entire bathroom. I mean starting with one drawer in the bathroom. Empty it out, wipe it clean, organize your things, ditch what you don’t need, and fill it back up in an organized way. There are no rules when it comes to organization. Just pick a way that satisfies your brain. For example, when I add my makeup back to that drawer in the bathroom, I like to sort it by what I use most, to what I use least. But maybe you prefer color coordination. Get creative! Once you’ve tackled each room in your space, one section of the room at a time, consider the art of Feng Shui to spark joy in the space. For example: I love to keep an essential oils diffuser by my desk (this is the one I have). It brings me joy every time I sit down to do work.I also like my bedroom to be almost bare. This keeps my brain very clear when I am going to bed.I do like to have Eucalyptus in the bedroom though. It brings me feelings of freshness and looks great too.I know I feel very stressed when the kitchen is a mess. I’ve added a few extra storage bins and cabinets so I always have a place to hide my kitchen supplies away.
These are all little shifts and changes that allow me to live my life free of unnecessary stressors :) What can you do to “cleanse your space”? Feng Shui Tips:How & Why to cleanse the space:
Read Here are Five Ways Spring Cleaning can make You Healthier by Healthline
Read The Powerful Psychology Around Cleanliness by Psychology Today
Read The Relationship Between Mental Health and Cleaning by Very Well Mind
If you are interested in further discussing how to cleanse your mind, sign up for a free nutrition & wellness coaching consultation with me via the link below.