Remove the Clutter
As much as I love the “idea” of scrapbooking, I had no idea how much clutter one could generate from collecting scraps of paper and vintage ephemera waiting around in craft boxes and bags for a collage “someday”. This goes for everything from kitchen utensils (especially those single-function ones like a bagel slicer), to tools, clothes, books, repeated purchases from “oops, I forgot I already had that,” to all the things we collect in hopes of living our best life once we get that special thing. But what if we changed this for ourselves and our homes? What if we confidently decided what “enough” looks like? From my recent experience, while decluttering a coat closet, I learned the process expanded my bandwidth for feeling lighter, more aware, and more grateful for things I kept.
I remember watching Marie Kondo on Netflix and her show helped me with one key aspect of decluttering I hadn’t thought of before – take a look at EVERYTHING. It can feel daunting to bring out all the clutter right on top of your bed, desk, or kitchen but it must be done. Once you see everything, you can cherry-pick what will stay and what will go. It’s okay for this process to feel difficult. No matter which area I declutter, I expend quite a bit of mental energy on things like “Do I really need four L keys?” But, the end result breathes new air into my space and I feel a sense of accomplishment just from tossing clutter and making donation piles. This past month, I gave myself the challenge to throw away 100 items and I’m slowly getting there!
Last year, right in the middle of summer, I received a tool in the mail that I used every time I went into my backyard - my very own weeder. I’m not the most skilled gardener but one thing I know is that pulling weeds does a lot of good for the garden. You get to remove all the superfluous greenery that takes up space and energy from your soil and toss it so you can focus on creating the garden you’ve imagined in your mind.
Remove weeds.
Grow flowers.
The same can be said for all levels of clutter in our hearts and homes. Even as you read this, there might be areas popping into your mind you’d like to tend to this week.
When it comes to “creative clutter,” which for me includes props, tools, art supplies, stationery, and such, I find it helpful to have everything in a closet or hidden where I know it’s accessible but just not visible at all times. I can concentrate much more on what I need to do when even some of my favourite creative supplies are nearby but not always out in the open. You may find keeping your supplies open encourages your creativity and that’s perfectly okay. A little rule I have is:
“Mess and clutter don’t count when I’m in the creative process.”
This helps me create without the pressure to clean and I give any project my whole creative attention.
I’ve been reflecting on other rules for myself around purchases and one that I’m liking is “purchase tools instead of things”. Wherever I can apply this, I’m trying to push myself to look at how I can recreate something through a tool rather than purchasing the end result. This helps me increase my creative experiences, expand my skills, and think a few times over about what it is I really want. So for example, my sewing machine, wood cutting tools, and kitchen appliances all help me to create organically. I have to think about an idea, and use my tools to reach the end result. These methods also feel more sustainable in the long run. You might come up with your own helpful rules to decide what to add and remove from your space, and I hope it brings you as much clarity as it does for me.
Writing Prompts // Reflection
Think about an area you enjoy spending time in – what is it about that space that gives you clarity, energy, and focus?
Without actually removing things, imagine in your mind what your most frequented spaces would look like without (insert items). Imagine how the space might open up and create new possibilities. Then, lean into the idea more and decide where you feel inclined to remove clutter in your home.
Clearing clutter also applies to our hearts. If you find yourself spending too much time (over an hour) thinking about a pain point in your life, what can you do to address it instead of allowing it to soak up your creative energy? How can you accept, resolve, or change the situation in order to make room for what you deeply wish to create?
