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February

Declutter for a Cause

Happiness is a place between too little and too much. Clear your home, clear your mind!

During the month of February, people are encouraged to declutter their homes and donate unused or unwanted items to charitable organizations. If you need some motivation to make room for the new holiday gifts you received or to organize your closets, now is the time.  

Clutter creates chaos, which impacts your ability to focus. It also limits your brain’s capacity to process information. Clutter is a form of visual distraction, which increases cognitive overload and can reduce working memory. If your space is disorganized and filled with clutter, it can be difficult to focus or concentrate. Research has shown that people are less irritable, less distracted, more productive, and better able to process information with an uncluttered and organized work area.
 
Staying organized can be a challenge for anyone but clearing the clutter and developing systems for keeping certain things like keys, phones, and wallets are essential to managing day-to-day activities and improving time management. Not only is it hard to physically function in a cluttered space, but clutter bombards the mind with excessive stimuli. Addressing the heaps of paperwork and laundry and thoughtfully organizing helps to calm the mind. Several studies show that disorganization and clutter are correlated with mental health conditions, including depression, anxiety, and stress. Messy environments can cause frustration, helplessness, and feelings of being overwhelmed.
 
Declutter and donate — It's a win-win!
 
It seems easy to accumulate all sorts of things we don’t really need, yet difficult to let them go when they no longer serve us. There are many reasons people hold on to things, from sentimental to monetary value, but at what cost? More often than not, the things we fear getting rid of end up negatively impacting our lives rather than benefiting them. Another reason we hold on to things that are in good condition but we know we will never need or use again is because we don’t know what to do with them. The answer is simple: donate. Decluttering improves not only your life but also improves the lives of others in need.

 

Declutter for a Cause month

February is dedicated to clearing out home and office space to give unused items to charities. One of the reasons Declutter for a Cause month is beneficial is because most charities and nonprofit organizations don’t have much funding. Most of them exist because of the passion and resilience of individuals who devote their lives to helping people in need. By participating in initiatives such as Declutter for a Cause month, you are assisting charities and nonprofits by giving them items and belongings to help take better care of their beneficiaries.

Steps to declutter

  • Start small: Set small, manageable goals. Tackle one task, one pile, or one room at a time.
  • Ask for help: Enlist the help of a family member, friend, or paid consultant who can help you make decisions. Sometimes getting input from someone else makes it easier to put your items in the donate pile.
  • Take a picture: If you have trouble parting with your children’s baby clothes and books or mementos from a vacation, take a picture of them. Giving them away often feels like giving up a piece of our identity or our past, making it difficult to let go. By taking a picture of an item that carries sentimental value, you can still have that connection.
  • Decide what you’re going to do with your unwanted items: The goal is to get the items out of your house and into the hands of someone who needs them. Contact local homeless shelters or donation centers to schedule a drop-off or pickup.

If clutter is overwhelming you or you are experiencing anxiety or depression that is either causing clutter or due to out-of-control clutter, a therapist can help.

Charity starts at home

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