Is your work table spotlessly clean and organized or is it filled with what you call ‘organized chaos’? Whichever the case, business and social media coach Linda Pollock helps you decipher what your clutter is trying to tell you.

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It is often said that the physical clutter we surround ourselves with is an external representation of what is going on in our minds. I have found that to be very true many times.

When my emotions become saturated and my mind cluttered with negative, self-sabotaging or repetitive thoughts, it seems to translate into my physical world. The drain on my mental and emotional energy consumed by being too caught up in my head seems to have a direct impact on the energy I have to take care of the physical belongings around me. Drawers get cluttered, paperwork gets left unattended, and my world falls into a mess of disorganized chaos.

The same applies when I emotionally don’t want to let something or someone go. That translates to an unwillingness on a subconscious level into not letting go of the physical things around us. Whether it’s an item with a sentimental value we don’t actually love, clothes that no longer fit us or broken objects that should be binned but take up space in our home.

Before I realized there was a connection between my emotional state and the physical chaos around me, I tried many times in the past to clear myself of physical clutter. I also would often work hard to create an organized and simplistic space to live in—a place where I feel I could breathe and escape from the outside world. But physical clutter would magically reappear around me again after the next disagreement, the next cycle of negative thoughts, overthinking, and second-guessing, or after I feel hurt by other people.

Feeling overwhelmed by too many things to take care of, or too much mess to wade through, can prevent us from having space and time we need in the present moment to really enjoy life. It also blocks us from growth, change, and forward movement.

Now that you know what your clutter is trying to tell you, here are some tips to help you de-clutter your life both physically and emotionally.

Emotional And Mental Clutter
Bring awareness to the reality of your situation by asking yourself these questions:

• What are you spending most of your time thinking about or replaying in your head?
• Can you identify the stories you tell yourself over and over again that keep you stuck?
• What if you could wipe the slate clean and get rid of all those things that you are holding yourself back with? How would that make you feel? Relieved? Scared? Happy? Not in control?

All those old stories about how you are not good enough, smart enough, beautiful enough, deserving enough, it’s time to let that stuff go. It’s not the truth of who you are.

Here are some suggestions to help you get rid of those limiting beliefs and old stories:

1. Write a list of all the situations you feel resentment about, feel angry about, or are simply tired of carrying around in your head.
Once written down, burn your list and while doing it, tell yourself that you’re willing to hand every item on that list over to the universe. If burning it safely is not possible for you, then at the very least tear it up into tiny pieces and throw them away. This physical activity can reinforce any thoughts or promises you make not to hold on to these things any longer. The emotional release you get from it feels extremely liberating.

2. Write down a commitment to yourself and place it somewhere you can see it daily.
It could read something like, “I commit to making a dedicated effort to no longer self-sabotage, make excuses, or engage in any activity that prevents me from moving forward and reaching my full potential.” Decorate your pledge, make an effort, put some love into writing it down, and make it nice to look at so you can put it somewhere in your home where you can see it daily.

3. Try EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) to reprogram your thoughts.
Each time you catch yourself churning over an old story or limiting belief in your mind, tap the center of your forehead, between your eyebrows, for 30 seconds, and repeat something positive to yourself. For example, “I am deserving.”

4. Become more aware.
Simply recognizing these old thought patterns that no longer serve you and stopping the runaway overthinking train in its tracks can help you greatly. Each time you catch yourself allowing your thoughts to spiral downward and out of control, take a few deep breaths, put your favorite feel-good music on, call a positive-thinking friend, or do something to break the cycle.

5. Practice forgiveness.
Forgive people who have caused you past hurt that still affects you today. Remind yourself no matter what they did, forgiveness is a gift to yourself. This is not about excusing anyone’s actions or unacceptable behavior, this is about letting it go so that you can move on. You don’t need to search for them and tell them that you have forgiven them. They don’t even need to know about it. Simply forgive them in your mind. And about that someone who has caused you deep pain, write down who you want to forgive, what they did to you, and burn or rid yourself of that piece of paper. Decide it’s time and let it go.

6. Speak up for yourself and voice your opinions, feelings, and concerns as situations arise.
Don’t allow emotions to build up within you. If someone upsets you, don’t silence yourself. Speak your mind, clearly, calmly, and with confidence. Very often, we let the unsaid things we wish we had voiced out play in our minds over and over again. It’s incredibly draining!

If you are finding the emotion and mental aspects of de-cluttering difficult, then perhaps start with the physical aspect. Both are very much interconnected. Dealing with one will help the other.

Physical Clutter

Where do you physically need to create space in your life? How can you simplify your environment? What do you have in your home and workspace that no longer serves you or brings you joy? Can you bring yourself to get rid of it? Can you let it go?

There are lots of books and websites that give you a variety of techniques to declutter your physical life in depth, but here are a few pointers to get you started.

1. Go through your wardrobe and remove anything that no longer fits you or that does not make you feel good when you wear it.
Donate them to charity or put them in a clothing recycling bin. Store out of season clothes away until they are required.

2. Deal with paperwork.
Gather it up from all its regular hiding places around your home and take action on those that need to be dealt with. Shred the rest.

3. Assess your home decor.
If it doesn’t bring you joy, get rid of it. If it was a gift, pay it forward and donate to charity. If it is sentimental, could you store it in a special box and look at it when you choose?

4. Clear even just one shelf and do not put anything back on it for the next three days. Reflect on how it makes you feel to see the space.
Does it make you feel uncomfortable? Does it inspire you to think of something new to put on it or do with the area? Does it make you feel like you have space to breathe?

5. Don’t buy more storage units or boxes.
Remember, these need to be cleaned and maintained, too. The lesson is all about letting go and creating space, not more places to hide things away to be dealt with later.

Enjoy Decluttering
Try to enjoy the process of decluttering. Put on your favorite music while you do it. Set a timer and give yourself 10 minutes to clear a drawer. Give yourself a power hour where you commit to not being interrupted or distracted and simply see how much clutter you can power through in that time. Reward yourself after each thing you deal with and remind yourself this exercise is about freeing up space and time for yourself. You are going to feel great at the end of it!

Your clutter is trying to show you what is going on in your mind and in your heart. Listen to it. Deal with it and liberate your mind, body, and spirit by getting rid of it.

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