Ultimate Declutter List for Your Brain and Your Office

Every year, just before wedding season hits, I get an itch to purge. I’m the kind of creative that just cannot function in the midst of a giant cluttered up mess. I know very well that some business owners have the messiest of work spaces and they know exactly where everything is, and they even prefer to have things in a state of “organized chaos”. I’m NOT that kind of person. If my surroundings are cluttered, too busy, and generally messy – I have a very hard time focussing. The pull on my brain to clean up is so strong that I absolutely can’t sit down to work on a project (whether it’s typing up a newsletter email or editing a wedding) unless I clean up my area first.

In fact, cleaning up is the last thing I do before I go to bed at night and it’s the first thing I do in the morning before I sit down to start my day with work. (Fun fact about me: I can’t even get in the bed to go to sleep without first straightening the blankets and pillows. Yep. I make the bed before getting in it. My husband just rolls right in and instantly falls asleep the second his head hits the pillow, no matter what state the blankets are in. I WISH I could do that!)

Over the past 7 years of being in business I’ve learned a lot about myself and how my brain processes information so I can hit a stride with working on projects. I get distracted easily, so I can’t work with music or the TV on in the background. I have to stop for frequent breaks so give my brain a second to unload. I have a tendency to focus INTENSELY HARD on one single project all day long, otherwise I feel scattered. Even the smallest little thing out of place bothers me until I fix it.

 

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Since my office is located in the basement of the house where my husband takes off his muddy work boots/clothes, where the laundry room is located, where the wood stove sits and is constantly covered in wood chips and ash in the winter – making sure my surroundings are clear of distractions like that has a huge impact on my productivity.

 

 

Decluttering My Brain & My Office

MONTHLY

There are a few things on my list that I do at least once a month. Sometimes I go about 3-4 months in between these purges, depending on how bad it’s needed.

1. Toss old magazines, newspapers, and junk mail that’s no longer needed.
2. Clear the closets and donate. Old towels, bed sheets, clothing, shoes, toys, throw pillows, rugs, curtains, etc.
3. Toss old makeup or hair care products that are expired or not being used.
4. Go through the family and business files and toss items that aren’t needed for tax purposes.
5. Dispose of unused and expired medication.
6. Clean all of the Young Living diffusers in the house with rubbing alcohol.
7. Check and bottle up the newest batch of kombucha.
8. Check and restock the coffee, creamer, sweetener. (Because it’s my lifeblood.)
9. Check and order (if necessary) my stocks of branded printed materials (thank you cards, USB drives, packaging materials, etc).
10. Clean the fridge. Really get in there with gloves and cleaner and SCRUB IT.

 

DAILY

The daily list for purging and general tidying up I do is just basic stuff that prevents me from going crazy. In reality, these are just things that I do on a daily basis that I don’t even have to think about.

1. Load and dry laundry.
2. Vacuum.
3. Turn on the diffuser with some oils that help promote creativity or concentration.
4. Toss junk mail and open bills.
5. Answer emails and delete junk. (Use this app to unsubscribe at least once a month!)
6. Clear your desk of everything you don’t need within reach. My Yeti microphone and my Lexar card reader sit on my filing cabinet, NOT my desk – unless I’m recording that day. My desk only has the items I’ll need to work with.
7. Write your To-Do list the night before so you’re able to tackle it without wasting time in the morning thinking over what to do.
8. Only place items in your office space that inspire you or remind you of things you love. Toss the rest!
9. Designate an area for gear. I have a small closet in the basement where I keep lens and camera boxes, lighting equipment, umbrellas, tripods. It’s out of the way so I don’t see it, and I’m able to keep it secure incase I need it later.
10. Designate an area for packaging supplies and take some time to fold all of your boxes so you can just grab and go throughout the year.

 

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WHY you should declutter

There are so many beneficial reasons why decluttering your home and office is good practice. Even if you’re not so much like me and clutter doesn’t seem to bother you that much, decluttering will still help you. Maybe you’ve just become immune to your surroundings? Either way, I’m convinced you’ll benefit!

1. In a Harris Interactive survey, 23% of American adults admitted to paying bills late and racking up fees because they simply couldn’t find their bills.
2. Professional organizer Lorie Marrero said she’s come across thousands of dollars of uncashed checks, gift cards, and other items of value in her client’s homes.
3. In a UCLA study of home clutter, only 25% of garages could hold a parked car because of the amount of clutter they were holding instead.
4. Junk tends to gather dust. Dust is unhealthy to breathe in.
5. Getting rid of clutter also saves you 40% of your time on housework!
6. Decrease stress. Rubbermaid found that 42% of homeowners experienced more anxiety when their houses were unorganized or cluttered.
7. Researchers at Princeton University’s Neuroscience Institute found that when your environment is cluttered, “the chaos restricts your ability to focus”.

 

I’m not making this stuff up, folks! Decluttering your surrounding areas really DOES improve creativity and productivity. Happy cleaning!!