Organize & Energize: 6 Ways to Combat Mental Clutter
Kristin MacRae, GoLocalProv Organizational Expert
Organize & Energize: 6 Ways to Combat Mental Clutter
Does your mental clutter make you feel anxious, exhausted, stressed, or overwhelmed? Does it make you feel like you are running a mile a minute in 10 different directions? We have to realize that we are carrying around this mental clutter and then we have to figure out a way to alleviate it.
Here are 6 ways you can combat mental clutter:
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTExercise. Exercise is a great stress relief. It helps clear the mental clutter and it’s good for you! It’s a win, win all around. You can put on your headphones and have a great heart pumping workout and just focus on what you are doing and nothing else. After a long day, you can also destress by taking a Pilates or Yoga class. You can also take a quiet walk without any music. Just enjoy the scenery and the fresh air. If you want to feel energized, listen to music and enjoy the time alone.
Just Breathe. When you find you are getting stressed, just stop and breathe for 30 seconds. Take big inhales and exhales. Think of stressful situations that arise in your work day. How do you recover from them? Did you just get back to your desk after a stressful situation and you sat down and you just can’t seem to relax? Try just sitting quietly and breathe for just 30 seconds.
Empty your mind. Get all your thoughts out of your head. If you have a lot on your mind, sit for a few minutes and just write everything down that is on your mind. Don’t worry that it’s not organized; you can figure that out later. Just let your thoughts flow onto paper. After you do this, then you can put together a to-do list of everything you need to accomplish. Once everything is written on paper, you will see that some things really aren’t that important. It just felt good to write them down and get them out of your mind. Now you can just let it go. If the thoughts aren’t related to things you have to do, keep a journal and jot down what you are thinking. This will help release the mental clutter.
Meditate. Sit in a quiet spot for 5 minutes, 3 times a day and meditate. Set a timer and just be with yourself and your thoughts for 5 minutes. If you can’t find the time to stop and do this, try taking 3 inhales and exhales a few times a day.
Unplug. Now more than ever, we have information being thrown at us from all types of mediums. Just think about social media alone, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Instagram and all the other apps out there. These alone are adding to the mental clutter. We didn’t have this form of mental clutter 20 years ago and it’s something we find ourselves struggling with throughout the day. If this is adding to your mental clutter, shut down for a day and recharge.
Take a vacation. Sometimes we need to step away from the day to day mental clutter. Try taking a vacation. You don’t have to go anywhere elaborate or expensive. It can be a day at the beach, a picnic in the park or a relaxing day trip. Destress and release that mental clutter.
Practice doing one or more of the above and release the mental clutter. Take note to how you feel after you do this. You will feel energized and revitalized.
Organizing Products For Your Closet
Flip flop organizer
How many flip flops do you own? Are they thrown all over the closet floor? How long does it take you to find a match to one of them? Bed Bath and Beyond has a $9.99 flip flop organizer that holds 6 pairs of flip flops and hangs nicely in your closet. This is a must-have if you have more than 5 pairs of flip flops. I’ve purchased these for my clients and they work great!
Scarf organizer
You love your scarves, but it takes you forever to locate one and you have to throw 5 around to find the one you are searching for. Use a scarf organizer and you will be able to see all your scarves and find them at a moment’s notice. Bed Bath and Beyond has a few different types of scarf organizers, including this one for $9.99.
Belt organizer
How are you storing your belts? Are they in a tangled mess? Purchase a belt organizer for a cheap solution—they can be as inexpensive as $6.99 from the Container Store.
Tie organizer
Keep your ties organized and hanging on a tie rack, or keep then rolled in a drawer organizer. Whichever way you choose to organize them, treat them with care. To take care of both your belts and your ties in one fell swoop, check out this organizer from the Container Store.
Drawer organizer
This is a must for your underwear, socks, bras, nylons, etc. Drawer organizers will help to maximize space in your closet. You won’t believe the amount of space you will have once you contain these items in drawer organizers!
Jewelry organizer
Are you always trying to detangle your necklaces? Think about how you grab your jewelry and then purchase an organizing system according to how you function. Before you purchase your container, take inventory of what you own and purchase accordingly.
Shoe rack
Did you know people who didn’t own shoe racks were 7 times more likely to show up late for an event? Are your shoes in piles on the floor? Get them off the floor and contain them in a shoe rack. There are many options out there, like this one from Bed Bath and Beyond. Choose the shoe rack that is going to fit what you need to hold and fit in the space you are working with.
Hangers
Are you hanging your clothes on the wire hangers from the dry cleaner? Those hangers will ruin your clothes. Get rid of them and store your clothes on the hanger of your choice, but be consistent and stick with one type of hanger.
Handbags
How are you storing your handbags? Are they stored all over your closet? Are they in bins or crumpled up on the floor? It’s time to organize your bags. There are many options depending on the space you are working with. You can stand them up on a shelf, you can hang them, or if they are small, you can store them in a canvas bin. The choice is yours. Think about how you function and develop a system from there.
Baseball cap organizer
How many baseball caps do you own? How are they organized in your closet now, and how long does it take you to find one? The Container Store (pictured here), Bed Bath and Beyond, and other stores sell this baseball cap organizer. I have a few clients that have purchased them and they love them!
Function over flash
There are many variations on these products. Choose the product that is right for you. There are some organizing products I would never use, but other people might choose to use them. Choose the one that is going to be the most efficient and productive product for you and your family. Don’t choose a product because it’s pretty, choose it based on functionality. Search online for different products before you rush out and purchase a product. You may find that one store is more expensive than another. Don’t forget if you are going to Bed Bath and Beyond to use their 20% off coupons. If you don’t want to purchase these items, get creative and re-purpose items around the home, or make your own!
Kristin MacRae
Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on Mondays at 8:30am on www.talkstreamradio.com.
