How to declutter your mind and your space
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Why do we hold onto so many things that bog us down?
"Take a picture and let it go," said Los Angeles- based organizing and productivity specialist Regina Lark.
Guilt may be one reason we hang on to stuff, but Lark said clutter could lead to feelings of being stressed, burned out and overwhelmed.
"It really starts with how you want to live your life. What makes you comfortable? How do you want to move through your space?" she said.
Kitchen chaos may lead to less cooking and eating more convenience foods. Disorganized paperwork may make it hard to pay bills and do taxes, and a crowded closet can lead to chronically running late.
Psychologists say spring cleaning not only tidies up our surroundings, it also clears our mental space.
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"When we are able to go through our homes, our apartments or wherever it is that we're living, and go through and begin to reduce some of the clutter, it really can feel like a new sense of beginning," said Adam Boreland, PhD., a psychologist with Cleveland Clinic.
He said clearing out clutter allows us to regain a sense of control.
It can also help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, but don't let this gigantic task scare you.
The advice is to start small.
"Maybe one shelf in one cabinet, and what that does is helps build momentum," he said.
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Lark said a good place to start is to make a list of all the things you want to declutter and organize and clear out.
Her suggestion is to only keep items that are functional and make you feel good.
"There's usually the 'keep' pile, the 'let go' pile, and the pile of 'ambivalence or indecision.' It's usually the biggest pile, and so that's where you might need a little help in that decision-making process," said Lark.
This is where a professional organizer can step in or Lark said you could ask a friend to help you figure out what to donate.