The list is long. The day isn’t long enough. External and internal demands are abundant. Self-imposed expectations are high. This combination can cause mind clutter.

After being away for a few days to celebrate our youngest daughter’s college graduation, I’m experiencing a lot of noise above. I know it won’t last forever. It’s just the confluence of the long list, available time, responsibilities, and expectations.

To help declutter my brain, I focused on three simple and effective strategies.

3 Simple Ways to Declutter Your Brain

Self-Care.

Take care of the basics. Eating and hydrating let me restore some energy. Taking my daily walk helped me feel mentally refreshed as I enjoyed the sunshine, fragrant spring air, and colorful blooms. Simply stopping to breathe in the sweet aroma of our white irises encouraged calmer thoughts.

Reality.

Focus on doing what you can do. Recognize which expectations are self-imposed. Allow some slack to adjust the moveable deadlines so they work with the available time you do have. Reassess the list. Be willing to shift some items off today’s list if needed. It’s not a failing. It’s reality.

“Focus on doing what you can do.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

Perspective.

What’s most important right now? What is your next small step? Let go of overwhelm. Stay focused. Think singleness. Think mindfulness. Do what you are doing now. Do not rush ahead. While there are more productive hours left, it’s also essential to stop at a point. When stopping time arrives, go there joyfully. Let go of the guilt. Embrace relaxation. Tomorrow is another day. Rest so you can greet it with a rejuvenated self.

Is your mind feeling cluttered? What works for you to untangle the thoughts? I invite you to join the conversation!

Have you ever felt alone with the clutter challenges in your life? You aren’t. Managing clutter, which takes many forms including thoughts, time, and space, is a human condition. I was curious about what clutter looked like not just in the United States, but also in other parts of the world. I invited my wonderful organizing colleagues (Hilde Verdijk, Laurene Livesey Park, Carol Martyn, Nacho Eguiarte, Tracey Foulkes, Sue West, and Juliet Landau-Pope) to share their perspectives with us about clutter in their cultures. It’s an honor to be here with this amazing group. My gratitude goes to each of them for being here with us. Join us around the table, as we sit together, sip iced tea and share our ideas.

I asked my colleagues . . .

• How do you define clutter?
• What are the most common causes of clutter in your country?
• What is one of your favorite clutter management strategies?

How do you define clutter?

Hilde Verdijk, CPO-CD®, MRPO® – Professional Organizer & Speaker – The Netherlands:

To me clutter is the stuff in one’s house or head that is not being used regularly or properly, has no beauty, is not loved and is there for an excuse, like: "I might need it sometime" or “it was expensive (or cheap!)”

Laurene Livesey Park, CPO-CD® – Professional Organizer, Author, & Speaker – Canada:

I define clutter as an overabundance of stuff.  I like the idea of “over” abundance because it is flexible – one person’s comfortable, Zen-like minimalism is another person’s might find three extra items on the kitchen counter too much clutter, while another person who is comfortable with lots of things in their space may have a very different idea.

Carol Martyn – Professional Organiser & President AAPO – Australia:

Clutter can be defined as anything that’s regularly not used, loved or makes our heart sing. We’ve only to cast our minds back to gifts received last Christmas to get an indication of whether items have the potential to fall into the clutter category today. If you’ve children, you’ll know what I mean. 

Nacho Eguiarte – Professional Organizer, Architect & Blogger – Mexico: 

Like having rocks on a river stream, water will flow but you can't sail your boat way down safely or easily. Address the clutter and the journey will be pleasant.

Tracey Foulkes – Speaker, Trainer, Productivity & Organisation Expert – South Africa & Ireland:

Broadly speaking clutter is anything you don’t need, use or love. It is anything that gets in the way of your success. It’s the excuses that hold you back from taking action, the brain spaghetti that leaves you feeling overwhelmed, decisions left unmade, tasks left unfinished, crowded environments all causing no to slow progress.

Sue West, COC®, CPO-CD® – Certified Organizing Coach, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization & AD/HD Coach – United States:

Clutter, per my clients: Energy drain. “Stuckness.” Judgmental. Needy. Depressing. Makes me feel out of control and scattered. Keeps me from what I really want to do. Guilt. Shame. “You should!”  Reminder of what I didn’t do.

Juliet Landau-Pope, MA, CPCC – Coach & Professional Organiser – United Kingdom:

I define clutter as whatever’s getting in your way. It can be a surplus of household belongings that prevent you leading the life you want; clutter can also can be the accumulation of negative ideas in your mind that drain your energy and sap your creativity.

What are the most common causes of clutter in your country?

Hilde: I think people in this country have such busy schedules nowadays, they don’t know how to slow down or deal with their stuff. Instead they go shopping, making things worse. They spend their money on things, but forget to let go as well and then things start to pile up. 

Laurene: As in most developed countries, we have easy access to many, many fairly inexpensive goods. It is easy to replace something that is worn, old, out of fashion, and people do that, without getting rid of the item that they have replaced. Not enough people pass things on!

Carol: While there’s no one common cause of clutter in Australia, clients I work with sometimes haven’t thought how the new items will fit in their homes – or how they can limit the amount of space available. 

Nacho: In Mexico, because we've had so many economic crises, people developed scarcity fears. Reusing, mending, fixing and saving everything that could be useful in the future, soothe the fear but create clutter.

Tracey: People are too busy, rushing from meeting to inbox to meeting. Departments are smaller, deadlines tighter, immediate gratification rife. Despite knowing there is an escalating problem, employees are holding back from ‘rocking the boat’. It’s not working, but they aren't prepared to take the time to step back, propose a solution and make a change.

Sue: Common causes: Commitments I should not have made but did anyway. Too many thoughts swimming around in my head and no place to land. Too many things in my home, office or even in my computer devices with no place to call “home.” Memories I can’t deal with yet. Choices I never made.

Juliet: In the UK, people hold on to things for myriad reasons but material clutter is often a response to living in a fast-paced, ever-changing consumer society. There’s an emphasis on shopping for what you want rather than what you need, and more emphasis on acquiring stuff than on letting go of it.  We also accumulate things from other people such as gifts, souvenirs, and inherited items.  Ultimately, I think clutter is a habit that accumulates over time; many of my clients regret that they never learned how to manage their time or space effectively.

What is one of your favorite clutter management strategies?

Hilde: I often ask my clients: “If you accidentally lost this item, would you really invest time, money and space to replace it?” It makes them realize that they keep lots of stuff for the wrong reasons.

Laurene: I love the rule, “One thing in, one thing out.”

Carol: Most clients decide on what to keep first and then try to make everything fit.  One of the most effective strategies is to flip this around; the storage space available helps guide the decision making process.

Nacho: For letting go stuff, you should hold a thing, shutting your eyes and paying attention to mind and body; having feelings like sorrow, sadness, anxiety are signs to get rid of it. On the contrary having happy thoughts, feeling joy or energetic are indicatives of keeping the object and finding it a place in your home.

Tracey: Ditch email and shift team and client communication to collaboration platforms instead.

Sue: Favorite strategy: “What do you know about what you DO want?” What will your calendar look like? What is your next chapter? How will your home or home office feel? Motivation lies here.

Juliet: My top tip for managing clutter is to focus on clarifying positive goals. I never talk about getting rid of things but prefer to focus on creating space, order and clarity – it’s far more motivating!

Clutter challenges are found all over the world. While the definitions of clutter vary, a common theme prevails. Too much “stuff” prevents us from full, focused engagement in our lives. Causes of clutter vary too from over-acquiring to letting go challenges to scarcity fears. We read about clutter management strategies that were both practical and soul searching. What a wealth of ideas and approaches! There is so much hope in these insights. We are not alone. We have the ability to reflect, ask questions, create boundaries, and focus on positive results. What is clutter about for you? How do you manage clutter? Pull up a chair and join our conversation!

We live. We acquire. We release. There are many patterns in life, and this is one of them. Is this familiar to you?

We live.

What does it mean to live? At the most basic level, it’s about being alive, breathing, existing. Yet for most of us, that’s not enough. We want our lives to have meaning. We want to give, to love, to connect with others. We want to explore, to create, to taste, to feel, to see, to touch all that we can. We want to do and just be. Do we spend our time with what matters most to us? Or do we spend our time stuck, feeling anxious, overwhelmed by our things, wishing that life were different, or that we were different? We live. But how do we live?

We acquire.

The “stuff” of life comes to us. We either intentionally acquire it or receive it from others. The sources can be physical, digital, or emotional. We range in our acquiring patterns from overconsumption to more minimalist approaches. As professional organizers, part of the work we do is about helping our clients manage their acquisitions. We teach them to edit, organize, and let go of the “stuff” that no longer serves a purpose for them. The acquiring is easy. However, once something belongs to us, it gives that “thing” more importance than it had before it entered our lives. When our emotional attachment takes hold, it can make letting go more challenging. What is enough? Knowing that there will be a time to let go, how will that influence our acquiring behaviors? How much time do we want to spend managing our “stuff?”

We release.

The ultimate letting go is with our last breath. Before that happens, there are many other types of letting go along the way. All of the things that we’ve collected and edited and organized and struggled with eventually move on. Either we take personal responsibility for our possessions and make arrangements for their release, or we don’t. If we don’t, it becomes someone else’s responsibility. This someone might be a loved one or a stranger. Working with both elders and their adult children, this struggle around keeping or letting go is an integral part of my work. It’s also part of my personal experience as a parent and daughter. If our “stuff” is a burden on us, what does it become for those it’s left to?

We live. We acquire. We release. We know the pattern. What resonates with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Are you having challenges or successes in any of these areas? Please add to the conversation.

It’s time for this month’s “Ask the Expert” feature, an interview series that connects you with dynamic industry thought leaders. This year we’ve spoken with author Todd Henry about next steps, psychologist, Dr. Debbie Grove about change, and author Joshua Becker about fresh starts. For April, I’m thrilled to have with us author and minimalist, Francine Jay to share her insights about letting go.

Francine’s book, The Joy of Less, was my introduction to the concept of minimalist living. In it, she wrote that when we let go of all the excess, “we uncover our true selves.”  Francine writes about the minimalist philosophy along with practical ways of applying it to your life. My gratitude goes to Francine for taking time away from her active toddler to join us. I know you’re going to love her down-to-earth ideas about letting go. Before we begin, here’s more about her.

Francine Jay pioneered the minimalist living movement with her blog, MissMinimalist.com, and her bestselling book, The Joy of Less, A Minimalist Living Guide: How to Declutter, Organize, and Simplify Your Life. In 2009, she and her husband sold their house, and all their possessions, and moved overseas with one suitcase each. After three years as a world-traveling digital nomad, she’s now applying her minimalist philosophy to life as a homeowner and mother. Her techniques for living a beautiful life with less stuff have gained her recognition in both national and international media. You can connect with Francine on Twitter, Pinterest, blog or website.

Linda Samuels:  As an author, blogger and parent, you inspire others to consider the joys of minimalist living. How do you describe minimalism?

Francine Jay:  Minimalism is eliminating the excess—unused items, unnecessary purchases, unfulfilling tasks—from your life. Everyone I know complains that they don’t have enough space in their homes, or time in their schedules. When you have fewer possessions, you have more space. When you have fewer commitments, you have more time. Minimalism is making room for what matters most.

Linda:  You said, “Sometimes we fear that getting rid of certain items is equivalent to getting rid of part of ourselves.” What are some effective letting go strategies?

Francine:  If you’re having trouble letting go of certain items, I recommend the following techniques:

• Digitize it. Taking digital photographs is a great way to save the sentiment, without saving the stuff. A photo of your great aunt’s phonograph, or your high school swimming trophies, will bring back the same memories as the item itself—without taking up an inch of space. 

• Miniaturize it. This technique is particularly effective for hard-to-part-with heirlooms. If you never use it, save just a piece of an item or collection: like one plate of your grandmother’s china, a swatch from your wedding dress, or the pulls from an antique dresser. 

• Hide it (temporarily). Box up items you’re having difficulty letting go of. Mark the box with a date, and donate whatever you don’t retrieve after a specific period of time (say six months). If you haven’t used it (or missed it) in that time, it’s not very crucial to your identity or well-being.

Linda:  In your book, The Joy of Less, you describe that things can become anchors, which prevent us from growing and moving forward. What are some of the benefits of letting go?

Francine:  Clutter can weigh on our spirits, making us feel too distressed and distracted to accomplish much of anything. Letting go lightens our load, giving us the freedom—physically, mentally, and often financially—to explore new interests and develop new talents. When we’re not tied down by excess stuff and commitments, we’re able to embrace opportunities as they arise. Each extraneous thing we eliminate from our lives feels like a weight lifted from our shoulders—it’s positively exhilarating!

Linda:  Do you have a letting go philosophy?

Francine:  To me, letting go is like traveling lightly. I realized how wonderful it was to travel with a small backpack, with only the essentials, instead of lugging around a heavy suitcase. When I was on vacation, I felt like I could go anywhere, and do anything, because I wasn’t loaded down with stuff. I wanted to have that same feeling of freedom in my everyday life, so I decided to let go of all my excess possessions. I wanted to spend my time and energy on experiences, rather than things. I believe that the less baggage we’re dragging around, the more living we can do.

Linda:  What has been your biggest personal challenge around letting go?

Francine:  Since I became a mother, my biggest personal challenge has been letting go of productivity. Once upon a time, I wrote regular blog posts, answered emails within a day, and had a sink free of dishes—and couldn’t imagine life any other way. Having a child has taught me that it’s okay to let some things go undone—I’d rather read my daughter an extra bedtime story than race to clear out my inbox. Now, my goal is no longer to get more done, but to have less to do.

Francine, I love the clarity you have around your ideas, which are especially compelling because you’re living them. While there are so many words of wisdom here, one of the ideas that particularly resonates with me is, “I believe that the less baggage we’re dragging around, the more living we can do.” The focus on less stuff to gain more living is at the core of minimalism, and very much in line with the work we do as organizers.

Please join Francine and me as we continue the conversation. We’d love to hear your ideas about letting go, minimalism, and traveling lightly. What are your thoughts?