When you come home and walk into a calm, clutter-free space, you can easily leave any rush or craziness from the day behind, but when you walk into a cluttered, chaotic space, the mess magnifies the crazy. The same idea holds true in other spaces too. We need to make space for our lives to unfold with ease and clarity.
7 Places to Create Space for Ease and Clarity
1. Cabinet Space
Even though your clutter is hidden behind closed doors, you know it’s there. If you have trouble finding things you use everyday, or use your cabinets as blinders to the mess that’s built up over time, make space. Move through one cabinet at a time, emptying it completely. Wash the shelves and put items back where they belong, and only keep them if they are useful in your life. Cabinet space will create ease for making meals, finding your keys, and other things you do on a regular basis.
2. Closet Space
Dressing with 33 items or less every 3 months redefined my relationship with stuff, and my shopping habits. Start your day with peace from a quiet closet. Wear your favorite things everyday, and enjoy the space in between and around the hangers. By limiting your clothing choices, you create space in your closet, and the clarity you need to make better decisions throughout the day.
3. Financial Space
If there is more month at the end of the money, instead of working so hard to make ends meet, work on having fewer ends. Be gentle as we can tend to get judgy with ourselves about our money management. Focus on one small area at a time and take your time. When you begin to make decisions based on something besides money, you create clarity about how you really want to work and live.
4. Mind space
When you wake up, your mind is clear and receptive. If the first thing you fill it with is email requests and Facebook posts, you are missing out on an opportunity to maintain the clear, receptive space. Try journaling, walking, or meditating before you put your eyes and mind on the screen. The clarity you’ll create with that small change will make a big difference throughout the day.
5. Creative space
If you want to be more creative in your craft, open up space by enjoying other creative things. In this article, Brian from No Sidebar says, “You are what you eat.” and asks, “Have you ever stopped to think about what you “consume” in terms of media on a daily basis? What do you read? What do you watch? How much time to you spend aimlessly scrolling versus focused attention on something of value?”
Cultivate creative space by consuming what inspires your creativity and limiting the rest. Use this practice for ease and clarity in creating art, and for creative problem solving in any situation.
6. Calendar Space
Over-committed? Look at a full week or month on your calendar. Is there room for clarity and ease? Does looking at how you’ve scheduled your life make you smile. Does it soothe your soul? Or does it make you feel anxious, and worried, wondering how you will fit it all in. Use that awareness to begin rescheduling and canceling appointments, and intentionally choosing how you want to spend your time.
7. Soul Space
While this is the last space we are covering on this list, it should be the first space you nurture. Create a soulful mission statement, practice putting yourself first, and protect the space that allows you to listen and know on a soul-level what’s best for you.
Create these spaces thoughtfully, one at a time, and infuse your life with ease and clarity.