They say, "tidy house, tidy mind". If you spend your time in a cluttered space, chances are you have a cluttered mind.

But how can objects really effect your brain and why do we have clutter in the first place? No matter how tidy of a person you are, everyone has cluttered areas in their home. Maybe it's hidden away, but it's there – the basement, closets, garage etc. In this day and age, it is very common to collect things – even if we don't necessarily need these things. They end up piling up over time and unfortunately, they can influence your peace of mind.

Various studies have shown that a cluttered environment contributes to increased levels of cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone released by the adrenal glands. It's important for helping your body deal with stressful situations, as your brain triggers its release in response to many kinds of stress.

So how can you go about decluttering our space and increasing our peace of mind? Try these simple, practical solutions:

If the clutter is at home, work as a team to clean and reorganize. Most likely, the clutter involves a combination of everyone’s belongings. Try not to move to another space until the previous one is finished

When cleaning, create a space for items you want to keep, throw away, donate or recycle. Follow through and learn to let go of items you no longer need

Create a designated spot for all your items. Once you are finished with something, put it back right away in its rightful spot

Start small. Focus on cleaning out your kitchen cupboard. Don’t worry about your messy closet or your cluttered garage. Focus on one thing at a time and work on it until it’s achieved. Once finished, you can tackle the next task

Sometimes clutter doesn’t involve just physical items. You can have a cluttered desktop, cellphone etc. too! Remove files and other items that aren’t being used

Write down your to-do list instead of storing it in your brain. This way, you can create an action plan and tackle those things that are weighing heavily on your mind, first

Practice some form of meditation. This can help with increasing focus and motivation. Increase your level of insight regarding new habits and see how the mess can be avoided in the future

Take daily action instead of having a spring cleaning mindset. This way, you can ensure you will have a positive environment all year long

Don’t wait, start taking these steps today! Kick off 2018 with a clearer, more stable mind by decluttering your most cluttered spaces!

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