Have you ever sat at your desk and felt like you couldn’t focus? There’s a pile of papers on the side, several books leaning against the wall, a couple cups scattered, and pens laying here and there – just a bunch of clutter.
Or maybe when you sit in your room, you feel uneasy. The walls are filled with random posters, clothes are on the ground, little knicknacks are everywhere – just a bunch of clutter.
What makes you feel better? Cleaning up the mess and putting things away. Or better yet creating more space.When you finally clear off your desk or clean your room you immediately feel more focused and at peace.
If you have been following me on Facebook, you may have seen that every so often I mention I’m de-cluttering. It’s become a mindfulness practice of mine and has been allowing me to find what possessions have real value to me.
We keep accumulating possessions year after year, and it becomes a vicious cycle. The more new shiny things we buy, the more things we put away in a ‘just in case’ box in storage. Can you think of everything that’s laying in your storage right now? Do you really need it?
I remember after I graduated from college I was amazed at how much superfluous things I collected. I filled up a whole van of just my stuff. This habit continued even after college.
I needed something for this wall, another side table, another lamp, some random art piece in this corner, a holder for wine bottles, and on and on. Here I was again accumulating more.
Then enters – Decluttering and embracing space.
Which desk would make you feel focused and ready to create at?
Cluttered Space
- Space Embraced
Benefits of Embracing Space
1. More Clarity and Focus. I’ve mentioned this in the beginning. When we are surrounded by clutter it is hard to focus. If there are too many distractions laying around visually then everything in our vision screams out for our attention.
2. Looks better. Referring back to the above pictures. It’s the same desk, but it’s obvious which one looks better and cleaner. My desk used to always be cluttered with papers and such. Now, before I sit down to create, I make sure I clear it off and only leave what is necessary (yes, my cat is necessary).
3. Welcoming. Sometimes my room isn’t the most cleanest place to be. It’s been a lifetime process of mine. But when I take the time and fully clean my room and get rid of more things. I end up staying in there more to read or write. Creating more space in a room, allows you to want to be there. It’s like when you have guest come over to your house. You make sure you clean up really good and stuff things away out of sight. When your guest arrived they compliment you on the space and how welcoming it feels. Feels good right? Embrace space.
4. Freedom. Freedom from being connected to material things. Freedom from thinking we are what we own. Freedom to being at peace and harmony in our own living space.
Embrace the space that is around. Go through one room and think to yourself – What is taking up valued space and does it really need to be there? Best place to start is your bedroom or desk area.
If you found this post interesting, please do me a favor and take a couple seconds to click on any of the options in the Sharebar on the left. I’d really appreciate it. Then if you want to take it a step further, share your thoughts in the comments below. Don’t be shame, we are here to share our thoughts and ideas.
How’s your clutter?
Mahalo. Aloha. A hui hou.
Hello Daniel!
I like this post, but I must say that I’m one of those who loves seeing their stuff strewn all over the desk. (But I’m not a slob) It helps me think, since my job requires me to be constantly inspired. And I often get these inspiration from my own clutter. But still, that doesn’t mean that I don’t want to clean up. I actually on the process of disposing some stuff. I just don’t know where to begin.
Aloha Denise
Thanks for stopping by. I enjoyed your write up Successilism. I’ll be honest that my desk isn’t always cleared off. During my research time and planning, my desk is filled with papers, books, and notes. But when I have a good idea where I want to go with the project, I’ll clear off everything so I can focus on just creating. A starting point to disposing stuff? I’ve started in my closet and donated a bunch of things I didn’t use anymore. I had 4 backpacks. Why? I have no idea…haha
Sounds almost like zen meditation at the office. On the other hand, some would say “better to have messy creativity than tidy idleness.”