We are in the days of holiday decluttering. With the chill in the air becoming more and more prominent where I live, it seems that this is the right time to start emptying some corners of my home and mind to welcome new possibilities.
I have always been big on cleaning before the holidays. Growing up, I used to see my mom practice this diligently. Needless to say, I imbibed this habit from her early on in my life. Now that I have moved to a different continent, the holiday season has changed; but the habit remains.
Sometime in 2016, before Marie Kondo became such a media sensation, I had picked up her now-famous book at a store. I am a big fan of Japanese things (a different story for another day) and this book had a profound impact on me. I had no idea that someone could approach the simple task of decluttering with such precision and zeal. But she has a point, doesn’t she?
The joy of holiday decluttering
Back to my childhood memories. Seeing mom remove boxes of clothes and other knick-knacks before a holiday used to make me happy. It meant that festivities were just around the corner and soon I will get to have fun with my extended family. That is why, to this day, holiday decluttering brings joy to me. This is the happiness that comes from anticipation. The same happiness that one feels while unwrapping a much-awaited present. Though that may sound too far-fetched to you.
What I mean to say is that the joy is not so much in the action itself but more in what this action means.
So what is holiday decluttering?
Initially, it only meant cleaning out a year’s worth of junk from the house. Worn-out clothes, broken toys, electronics that didn’t work anymore, etc. But recently, I realized that perhaps more important than clearing physical clutter is tackling the mental one. We hold so many unnecessary things within our minds and souls that we bow down with our burdens.
Therefore, my holiday decluttering constitutes of 4 different parts. I call them the cliched mind, body, heart, and soul.
Body
This refers to the physical decluttering that we are all so familiar with by now. Here, I am not going to try to explain this in detail because by now perhaps all of you have a fair idea about what this is about. I am sure many people have perfected the art of decluttering by taking a page or two out of various experts’ books.
When doing holiday decluttering, I go with the usual donate, discard and keep piles, though I must say that I do not hold each item to know if they spark joy. While that is a very good place to start from, my past experiences tell me that it is a bit too time-consuming for my liking.
Mind
Decluttering of the mind is also a much-discussed modern topic. You will find a myriad of articles online regarding how to go about mental decluttering. In fact, my mental decluttering journey started with a couple of such articles. I incorporated some of the practices recommended by people who were already practicing and found them to be quite effective.
Here are my three top-most mental decluttering mantras that work wonders for me
1. Writing down things– Journaling is an excellent way to put into words what is weighing the mind. And if you are not into journaling, then maybe just write down a few words every day (before bed is a good time to reflect) about what is on your mind. Seeing those worries written down makes it somehow easier to address them. For me, this act of writing is akin to removing it from the corner of my mind and putting it someplace else.
2. Limiting mental consumption– One of the things that I had put on this year’s vision board was to limit my mental consumption, especially when it came to social media. Seeing the happy and perfectly edited pictures did nothing but just add on to my already cluttered mind. Being extra conscious about what I browse is an effective way to clear my mind.
3. Accepting my reality and moving on from there– Sometimes it is just better to accept the worries that keep on harping. Acknowledging and accepting certain things actually make them seem less prominent. So for thoughts that cannot be cleared away, I just accept them to be a part of my life and kinda toss them away in a boss move!
Heart
This is where things get a bit interesting. Once I read about the mental decluttering process, I figured that I should do it for matters of the heart as well. But you may ask, “ What’s the difference?”
Well, the demarcation is quite fuzzy but I like to compartmentalize and then address things. So I began doing things aimed specifically at clearing away the clutter of the heart. And it is not as difficult as it sounds. Again, I do 3 things to achieve this.
1. Let go of the past– I admit that this is easier said than done. But what better way to clear a heavy heart than to let go of things that we are holding beyond their expiry?
2. Communicate before letting emotions fester– Communication is the key to take certain emotions out from the depths of our hearts. When I have a strong emotional reaction to someone’s actions or feel something, I try to have a discussion than just holding things within myself. Talking does make me feel lighter in such cases.
3. Prioritize my battles– Much like accepting my reality, I understand that there are things where it is futile to resist. Hence, in matters of my heart, I make conscious choices about what I focus on. This might sound a bit cold, but to me, it is an effective way to not emotionally overwhelm myself.
While these are steps that can be done throughout the year, the holidays seem to be an apt time to re-evaluate the year and make space for new feelings.
Soul
Decluttering can be a spiritual experience but how do we tackle decluttering for the soul? I cannot call myself a religious person. But I do try to incorporate certain pearls of wisdom from my religion (Hinduism). One such is the concept of an immortal soul. Now, why do I believe in this one? Well, mostly because it gives me a certain hope when I think about the purpose of existence. Without a soul that reincarnates, life merely seems to be a phase and I cannot accept that. Therefore, my faith in the soul is mostly a selfish one that satisfies my weird notions and has nothing to do with actual spiritual awakening. I doubt if I will ever be wise enough to understand such profound concepts.
But as I was saying, I figured why not try to do something for the soul then? Of course, these are experiments, the results of which will perhaps remain forever obscure to me. But I thrive in the abstractness of ideas.
To this end, I realized that decluttering other aspects of my life actually has an impact on my spirituality. However, I wanted to try something beyond that. I have never been that much into prayers. While I do believe in a universal power, I am not sure about specific gods. And prayers often seem to be as tools for asking things.
So, I started practicing affirmations and gratitude. There is so much to be thankful for in this life and counting reasons why I am lucky helped me to have a profoundly positive outlook lately. To me, being at peace with my reality gives me the chance to welcome more into my life. And that to me is the perfect tonic for decluttering for the soul. With the holidays approaching, now is perhaps an even better time to get into this practice.
To Sum Up
Holiday decluttering is the perfect way to start things afresh. While we all know and do the cleaning of the physical clutter, it is high time to address the clutters of the non-tangible kind in order to live a life of full potential.
Happy holidays. And peace.
Do you have any related experience or story to tell? Please share in the comments below. I would love to hear from you.
Related Reads
