5 Things to Remove from Your Life for Peace of Mind

A list of 5 physical things you can REMOVE from your life to make it more FULL and your mind less cluttered. Strive for peace of mind this year by getting organized and living more minimalistically.

With all the self-help books, podcasts, blogs, etc. in our society nowadays, it seems like the traditional advice is to ADD things to our lives for health, happiness, and stability.

But, what about the things we could REMOVE to make our lives more FULL?

The Purge

I am talking about purging the unnecessary/stressful/exhausting/non-joy giving things from our lives. Lately I’ve been feeling like my brain is at max capacity. Maybe because I’ve had one too many overly busy weeks for work before I leave for a 20-day trip or because the start of a new year is typically a little busier after adjusting back to normal life from the holidays.

My brain is just a little cluttered. Too many things to think about, to plan, to do, and then to stress over as the pile keeps growing. It’s a self-fulfilling, ever growing pile of JUNK and it’s time to do some “spring cleaning” a few months early. 😉

When thoughts pile up or your to-do list seems insurmountable, I have a few tips and tricks I’ve learned for myself over the years that really do help…and I’d like to share them with you today.

I honestly believe that breaking negative thought patterns or even changing up your daily environment/routine can help make your days a little happier, a little less stressful, and overall more positive.

For example, when you’re feeling especially down, pessimistic, or too busy and stressed, take a moment to make yourself smile or laugh. I know, I know….totally cliché. But I have to say, it does work.

Sometimes, just looking at a meme a friend sent you or watching a short Youtube clip from your favorite comedian can TOTALLY change your mood and thus the rest of your day. Fake it till you make it, folks.

And the same goes for freeing up space in your mind. By PHYSICALLY decluttering and freeing the space around you, your mind will feel lighter and more at ease as well.

So that’s what I’ve been doing these past few weeks. Organizing my belongings, getting rid of things that I no longer need, and trying to become more minimalistic in all aspects of life. I’ve definitely started to notice a difference in my stress levels and the amount of mental and physical burden I feel.

Here are some of the changes I’ve made to purge the unnecessary items in my life that have helped me feel lighter and more able to tackle the mental clutter…

Sell/Donate Old Clothes

Going through my closet I could not believe how many clothes that I’ve kept and no longer wear. Over half my closet was ALL stuff that does not fit me anymore in the slightest. Holding onto that stuff hoping (or wishing) I’ll fit back into it someday is irrational and causes more stress than it’s worth. Bodies change and it’s time to buy new clothes to fit my current body.

I also find I have a really hard getting rid of things that I feel like I spent a bunch of money on! But I finally bit the bullet and went through my entire closet and had an honest conversation with myself about what I wear/don’t wear/doesn’t fit. I made a pile of everything I haven’t worn within the past year or two and decided to try to sell some of it and donate the rest.

I can’t tell you how great it feels to look at my closet and only see clothes that I’ll actually wear. Having fewer options (speaking of choices…check out this AWESOME Ted Talk I just listened to about having too many choices! Very insightful.) is a lot easier to deal with. Through downsizing I am able to see what parts of my wardrobe are lacking in terms of having more professional attire for meetings, interviews, networking events, and the like. Time to start collecting timeless, classic pieces and shedding the things that no longer serve me.

Declutter Your Documents

I went through my computer and was able to delete a ton of unnecessary files, pictures, and downloads. Not only did this make my computer run A LOT faster (which makes work easier!), but I realized how much unnecessary junk I had saved in my documents and downloads folders.

So many half blank Word documents, untitled projects from high school and college (LOL), and a host of blurry pictures that did not need saving. My laptop has so much more space now and it’s been loading and processing much quicker too.

Move on From Magazines

Confession: I used to be MAJOR magazine hoarder. In highschool and college I subscribed to 4 different magazines and eventually got busy that I wouldn’t even read them when they came in the mail. So they’d pile up and I’d tell myself that I was saving them to read eventually.

People, I have not read a magazine in over 3 years. Time to take out the trash! Luckily, I stopped subscribing years ago, but had yet to actually throw the old issues out….so stupid.

Finally I collected them all up, took the ones that were in good shape to my gym (for other people to use!), and recycled the rest. Cleared up my desk, paid it forward, and did some good for the environment. 🙂

Free Up Your Phone

Delete apps you never use, clean up your podcast subscription list (<–okay maybe this one is just for me…I had so many that I never even listened to!), upload your photos on to your computer, and use Spotify for music (there is NO reason to have any downloaded on your phone if you have a data plan!).

You free up memory space, save battery, and again, everything just feels a lot more organized, crisp, clean, and less chaotic to look at on a daily basis.

Clean Out Your Cabinets

There was so much excess food in my cabinets that really didn’t need to be there. As a blogger, I get A TON of stuff sent to me…most stuff I don’t even ask for or that I’d even use. I try to spread the wealth as much as I can and share it with friends and family, but it still piles up.

Food is another thing I have trouble getting rid of because it feels so wasteful and I always tell myself I can use it somehow. Of course, stuff that’s expired I was easily able to justify, but other things, even if I know I am not going to use them, I always have trouble letting go.

However I set aside some time to really focus on minimizing how much food I have just sitting in my apartment because various companies sent it to me to try and I was able to gather a lot great items for the local food pantry. Luckily, I live right across the street from a donation drop box at my local co-op…so no excuses to get it done!

5 Things to Remove from Your Life for Peace of Mind #declutter #destress

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Overall, I feel a lot better physically and mentally. Not seeing so much tangible clutter has really helped me clear up the internal clutter as well. I thrive on being organized and get a rush of endorphins when I get things cleaned up and in order, so this was a great exercise for me.

Does physical clutter make your mind feel more cluttered too?

Definitely let me know if you try any of these tactics in your own life!