How Clutter Zaps Your Energy and How to Get That Energy Back
I’ve been thinking about clutter and energy lately, and how the two are so closely linked. When my house is cluttered or dirty, I feel drained. When the clutter is clear and the house is clean, I feel renewed and energized. If you’re finding yourself constantly low on energy, take a look at your surroundings. Is your home or workspace cluttered or dirty? Is your to-do list a mile long? Is your brain on constant overload? Do you feel overwhelmed? Answers to those questions could be hints pointing to potential energy zappers.
Physical Clutter
A house full of excess stuff can be depressing and energy-draining, even when the stuff includes really nice things or things you love. Few things zap my energy as much as clutter. I can literally feel the energy seep out of me when I’m standing in a packed room.
Psychologically, a room full of stuff has less room for people, so you may feel crowded and out of place. Your eyes are constantly scanning the room, trying to put the pieces in place, and with little space for your eyes to rest, the scene can exhaust you. Seeing all that stuff reminds you of all the tasks you feel you “should” be doing — sorting, organizing, dealing with all that stuff.
Not only does the clutter deplete your energy, but it also consumes precious time. People who live with clutter often spend time each day looking for lost items, such as keys, shoes, wallets, important papers. Even when the item is right where it’s supposed to be, it can be visually lost in a sea of other things.
Clearing away the clutter brings immediate visual peace to a space, and that by itself can give you an energy boost. Keep a donation or get-rid-of box in the garage, a spare room, or by the door, and get in the habit of dropping in items you run across that you’re not using or you don’t like. Fill up those trash cans and recycle bins. Find places for items you use and love to “live” so you always know where to look for them. No one expects your home to be clutter-free all the time, but you do need to be able to find what you need when you need it.
Dirty Surroundings
Much like physical clutter, being in a dirty room can drain your energy and put you on edge. A sink full of dirty dishes reminds you that you should wash them. A pile of dirty laundry reminds you that there’s washing, drying, folding, and putting away that needs to be done. Every room carries those visual reminders of all the cleaning chores that need to be done, and it’s grueling just thinking about it.
Having guests over becomes exhausting — you don’t want anyone to see your home dirty or cluttered, so you spend hours cleaning and stashing stuff before you allow friends or family to come to visit. If you feel like your home is too dirty, you may be so tired just thinking about the cleaning that you decide it’s not worth the energy to have people over.
Nothing energizes me quite like a clean house. If the grunge in your home is getting to you, take a day or a weekend to really deep clean your home, then develop a clean-as-you-go mentality. Get in the habit of washing dishes right away, putting dirty clothes in the hamper and running laundry regularly, vacuuming and sweeping frequently, and cleaning up food spills or dirt as they happen. Once your home is clean, maintaining it takes minimal effort.
And don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you can afford it, having a house cleaner or maid service come in once or twice a month is pure heaven, because it takes that mental load of “when am I going to clean this?” off your mind. Asking your spouse and kids for help is also incredibly important. If there are other people living in the home, it’s their responsibility to help maintain it. Don’t be afraid to ask.
Mental Clutter
Tasks that are undone can drain your energy just as much as physical clutter can. When you have to-dos and tasks that are unfinished, they continually distract you, often sapping more energy than it would take to finish the tasks in the first place.
Procrastinating consumes so much energy because not only is your brain worrying about finishing the task, new to-dos are piling up on top of the unfinished ones. Just thinking about how much you have to do can drain you.
While having a packed schedule may seem the norm these days, the energy drain is just too much to pay. Go over your to-do list and calendar and see which tasks and commitments can be delegated or dropped altogether. Try these tips for keeping a simplified to-do list. Learn to say no to tasks that aren’t vitally important and that don’t bring you joy, and protect your time like the precious resource it is.
