One of the most common things that I notice with my clients as they are feeling happier and lighter is that they come in and share experiences such as “I gave my house a big clean out the other day” or “I was able to let go of a lot of that old paperwork and clutter that was holding me back”.
The phenomenon of Marie Kondo and her book “The life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” and spin off Netflix series “Tidying Up” seems to have resulted in a massive increase in charity donations (and unfortunately rubbish tip drop offs at least according to our local Moreton Bay Council tip guy!) but there is something to be said for having a relaxing calm environment to come home to and being able to find things easily and quickly. A recent spring clean of our house resulted in my teenage daughter finding 12 bottles of sunscreen so we definitely won’t be purchasing that for a few years!
While some people are far more sensitive to their environmental surrounds than others, when we think about our surroundings from a brain based point of view it makes sense that a calm environment has a significant impact on our mental wellbeing.
Above: Photo of one of our waiting rooms/seminar space
When we created Brisbane Wellbeing Psychologists, we placed a lot of emphasis on designing a space in line with principles of interior and environmental psychology to create a space where our clients and team could feel relaxed and tranquil but also nurtured and cared for.
Our brain processes every item of visual information (so lots of clutter means lots of information processing which results in a more fatigued brain more quickly.) This is why a tidy desk feels so much easier to work from than a leaning tower of paperwork covered desk.
In our busy lives a lot of energy is drained by excess “data” – think of how many objects, places, emails, signs, advertisements and the rest that our brain processes in any given day – literally thousands. Compare this to 50 years ago – and then again to 200 years ago – and we can see how this rate of brain data has increased exponentially.
The more that you can simplify the amount of data coming in, the easier for your brain to relax and enjoy being in the moment.
Notice what environments give you energy and what environments deplete energy?
Sometimes they can do both – I like being in the buzz of a new city but after a while, enjoy and crave the solitude of a quiet space.
In our busy lives a lot of energy is drained by excess “data” – think of how many objects, places, emails, signs, advertisements and the rest that our brain processes in any given day – literally thousands. Compare this to 50 years ago – and then again to 200 years ago – and we can see how this rate of brain data has increased exponentially.
The more that you can simplify the amount of data coming in, the easier for your brain to relax and enjoy being in the moment.
Notice what environments give you energy and what environments deplete energy?
Sometimes they can do both – I like being in the buzz of a new city but after a while, enjoy and crave the solitude of a quiet space.
Your home environment ideally needs to feel like a haven from the world. The Happy Brain by Dean Burnett is a fascinating book with a whole chapter devoted to the impact of home on the brain:
This can be a challenge when there are circumstances beyond your control such as external factors, people you share with… but the factors within your control are important.
Doing a thorough de-clutter of your home space can result in some mixed feelings – emotionally some things are hard to let go of. A sense of embarrassment or shame at the things you may have bought in the past excessively. It can also be overwhelming – those overflowing cupboards or drawers seem too much to tackle.
A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself when you are giving each cupboard, drawer and room a clear out is Do I want this item to be a part of my best future?
If you have items that are still in good condition but no longer needed, consider donating to a wonderful local charity GIVIT which operates Australia wide but started in Brisbane. GIVIT connects those who have with those who need in a safe and private way. A list of items needed by charities for their clients is listed on their website and you can also contribute your items to a virtual database:
