“Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication” Leonardo da Vinci

Disorganization in the home often allows clutter to accumulate and take over our living spaces. The same can happen in other environments, including the car, office, garage, and other areas where we spend time. When left unmanaged, clutter and disorganization can negatively affect our productivity, well-being, and quality of life. Clutter is the accumulation of excess, unorganized, or unwanted items in a living or working space. It can include visible messes, overcrowded surfaces, and stored belongings that are no longer used or needed. Over time, clutter can make spaces difficult to navigate and create an environment that feels overwhelming.

The root cause of clutter is not simply having too many possessions. Often, clutter results from behavioral and psychological patterns, particularly delayed decision-making. When we do not decide where an item belongs after using it, or when we avoid deciding whether to keep, donate, or discard something, items begin to accumulate. Eventually, these small, delayed decisions can lead to significant disorder. Two primary types of clutter can have an immediate negative impact on our lives and work, namely physical clutter and digital clutter.

Physical Clutter:

• Overflowing closets, packed garages, and crowded storage areas.

• Excess clothing, gadgets, and unused household items.

• Stacked mail, scattered toys, and dishes left in inappropriate places.

• Overcrowded workspaces, desks, and offices.

Digital Clutter:

• Excessive or poorly organized digital files and data.

• Large numbers of unread emails in an inbox.

• Disorganized computer folders and poorly named or difficult-to-find documents.

A cluttered environment can contribute to mental stress because the brain must continually process additional visual information. This can make it more difficult to concentrate, reduce productivity, and increase feelings of stress and overwhelm. Decluttering, organization, and cleanliness can have the opposite effect. Creating orderly and functional spaces can improve overall well-being, promote mental clarity, and make it easier to focus on the tasks that matter most. By developing better organizational habits and making decisions promptly, we can prevent clutter from accumulating and create environments that support a healthier, more productive life.

To Declutter

• Start with pen and paper. Walk through your home or workspace and make a list of what you want to keep, discard, donate, or sell.

• Evaluate your storage needs. You may need baskets, boxes, drawers, containers, file folders, shelves, or bookcases to help organize your belongings. However, be careful not to create more clutter by buying unnecessary storage. Review your list first and determine what you truly need.

• Start with the obvious trash. Grab a bag and walk through your space, throwing away obvious garbage, expired items, old receipts, and broken or unusable things. This simple, low-effort step creates immediate space and gives you momentum before tackling more difficult decisions.

• Consider your furniture arrangement. Ask yourself whether rearranging the furniture could create more open space, improve the flow of the room, and give your home a simpler, more peaceful feel.

• Organize what remains. Give everything you keep a designated place. Group similar items together and make sure frequently used things are easy to access.

• Clean thoroughly. Once you have decluttered and organized, give your home a deep cleaning. Wash the windows to let in more sunlight. Vacuum, clean the carpets and floors, and thoroughly clean the bathrooms. A clean, orderly space can create a greater sense of clarity, calm, and peace.

WHAT IS DECLUTTERING

• Take a pen and paper and write down your thoughts.

• Start by listening to the audio session, then watch the short video(s).

PREPARATION

GUIDED SESSION

Use headphones for optimal sound

Interactions of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in human visual cortex. Stephanie McMains, et.al. Neuroscience. 2011 Jan 12;31(2):587-97.

The “Joy of Letting Go”: Decluttering and Apparel. Rachel J. Eike, et. al. The Journal of Design, Creative Process & the Fashion Industry. V. 14, Issue 2. P. 225-241. 2022.

Decluttering. Hélne Cherrier, et.al. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Consumption and Consumer Studies. March 2015.

The Invention of Clutter and the New Spiritual Discipline of Decluttering. Christy Lang Hearlson. International Journal of Practical Theology. V. 25 Issue 2. 2021.

Decluttering the Mind: Imagery Rescripting Compared to a Verbal-Processing Strategy to Address Difficulty Discarding in Hoarding. Isaac Sabel, et. al. The Journal of Experimental Psychopathology. February 17, 2026.

The Effects of Visual Complexity and Decluttering Methods on Visual Search and Target Detection in Cockpit Displays. May Jorella Lazaro, et. al. International Journal of Human–Computer Interaction V. 37, P. 588-600. 2021.

PUBLISHED RESEARCH