By Alicia Cohen

Is it just me or has decluttering become really popular?  Almost trendy even?  Personally, I think it’s great!  I definitely support decluttering and have read great content and listened to great videos from some top-notch declutterers and minimalists.  Good stuff!

Maybe you’re like me....do you need your space orderly and organized before you can sit down to create, work, plan, etc.?  I know I benefit from a decluttered space.  I feel calmer and lighter when I get rid of things I don’t need, use, or love.  I can’t operate well in a space that’s chaotic.  I have to maintain a decluttered and organized physical environment in order to really be able to thrive in my day-to-day life.

Doesn’t it naturally make sense, then, that if it’s important to our well-being and optimal performance to have a decluttered space that equally important would be to have a decluttered mind?  I sure think so!  Let’s talk about it!

Our brains are not meant to be containers.  Our brains are designed to create, problem solve, come up with ideas, analyze, etc.  But, be a container?  Nope!  Not a good use of our precious brains!  When we fill our brains with clutter -- reminders, to-dos, appointments, etc. -- there isn’t space for doing all of those other important functions that our brains are designed for!  So, this is the main pursuit: to allow our brains to be the empty containers that they were designed to be!  Doing this means that we need a system that comprehensively captures all of the “stuff” of life -- past, present, and future -- and allows us to effectively more forward handling incoming information on the go.  We need a system that serves as a container that is external to our brains.

So, in order to have a decluttered mind where we aren’t using our brains as containers, there are a few key components to be sure to include in your system.  First, you need to catch up on all of the past “stuff” that’s not in your system yet.  Maybe you need to do some brain dumping.  Maybe you need to gather up papers.  Maybe you need to write a list of tasks.  Whatever it is, get all of the “stuff” that’s floating around that you don’t have in your planning system yet.  This gets you capturing the past stuff so that your external system is headed towards being comprehensive.  “Comprehensive” is what allows our brains to rest and relax.

Next, you need something for the “stuff” of the present.  Create a place (or maybe a few places) where you can immediately capture the “stuff” that comes at you as a part of daily life.  Maybe you want to use sticky notes.  Maybe you want to use a white board.  Maybe you want to use an app on your phone.  Again, whatever it is, make sure you get all of the “stuff” floating around in your day-to-day life so that it makes it into your planning system.

Finally, you need something for all of the future “stuff” like appointments, reminders, ideas, etc.  For this, you’ll want to use a couple of tools.  First, you’ll need some sort of calendar -- whether paper or digital -- that works for you.  You’ll also need a place where you are able to write down things that you need to remember for the future and ideas that you come up with that you want to remember.  Just as with the past stuff and the present stuff, for your future stuff, you just want to make sure that you have a system that captures all of the future stuff so that nothing is left floating around in your mind.

When you are able to capture all of the clutter in your brain -- past, present, and future -- I know that you’ll feel a lot better.  You’ll feel clearer, lighter, and calmer because your brain won’t be desperately trying to hold in all of the “stuff.”  Your brain will be a brain and not a container!

Does the thought of doing something like this feel rather overwhelming and you want help?  Or, do you just want to learn more and need additional tips?  Either way, check out my FREE step-by-step guide where I lay out what I do in my own method to keep a decluttered brain!