Get Clear for a New Year
Steps for Simplifying your Physical and Digital Space
(With FREE Printable Checklist)
Step aside Spring, the holiday season is the time to get clear and create new energy for the year ahead. I love decluttering, Marie Kondo is a babe and organisation is my obsession! I truly believe that the key to a more productive and organised life is a clear mind, and the path to a clear mind is... you guessed it, a clean space!
We live in a consumer culture that encourages us to buy and own things. And why not? There certainly is a bit of joy in acquiring something new. But the satisfaction doesn’t last or lead to real happiness. If it did, we’d be overcome with joy every time we came home. Acquiring more things doesn't just fail to bring us happiness, it can also lead to more stress. Our mental state is influenced by our environment, so a cluttered space can result in a cluttered mind.
Simplifying and minimising our living space may help us experience greater clarity and tranquility. Now I’m not saying that we all jump on the minimalism bandwagon and kick all our furniture, decorative items and antique treasures to the curb. Minimalism suggests that most of us spend far too much time and energy focused on material things which distract us from the relationships and undertakings that really matter. This lifestyle philosophy invites us to reassess our values, and ask ourselves what will actually bring us a lasting sense of wellbeing.
Minimalism proposes that we clear out the excess clutter and unnecessary consumption, so we can focus on the things in life that are truly important. This can mean something as simple as donating some of our clothes so that we’re left with the essential pieces we use, or it could be as big as downsizing our home so we can save money and travel more often. Whatever we decide is appropriate for us, there is wisdom in minimising what we own and consume, preserving our money, energy and time and creating space for what is meaningful to us.
So how can we get started on what seems like a daunting project? Here are 5 actionable steps you can take to simplifying your physical and digital space.
Step 1
Schedule a ‘Life Admin Day’ to take action and focus an entire day on resetting your space and mind. Trust me, you’ll need it.
Step 2
Open a fresh page in your notebook and brainstorm all the annoying tasks that you’ve been putting off. I’ve got things like ‘change super funds’ and ‘clean out linen cupboard’ on my list. Think of those niggly tasks that sit at the back of your brain that quietly pester you each week.
Step 3
Use the Yearly Refresh Prompt Sheet to sift through each area of your life and identify what you need to clean, clear, assess, change, schedule or action. They’re not all going to be relevant to you at this point in time, but a useful prompt nonetheless to make sure you cover everything.
Step 4
When clearing, decide on your guiding questions. These are questions that will help you determine each object's value and meaning. For example, have I used this in the past year? Would I recommend this item to a friend? Or the classic Marie Kondo question, does this spark joy?
Step 5
Now that you’ve cleared and reorganised your physical and digital space, think about what you’d like to cultivate more of in the new year. Complete The Intentional Living Playbook to assess each area of your life and set clear goals that align specifically to your personal values and strengths.
Notice how it feels to have a clear space. Not only have you put everything in its place to function more efficiently and reduce your stress, you’ve created space to bring more meaning into your life.
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