By Kate Evans
How often do you wonder why your to-do lists never get done?
How many times have you started a new workout routine or committed to clean eating only to find yourself right back where you started two weeks later? And how many cleaning routines have you tried that never stick, leaving you feeling overwhelmed by your home, not knowing how to regain control, let alone where to start?
Studies show getting rid of clutter eliminates 40% of the housework.
I bet you’ve tried everything you can think of to create change; time blocking, meditation, setting alarms on your phone, even asking a friend to keep you accountable. But your life still feels chaotic.
The reason you can’t find the motivation to maintain any of these healthy habits is far simpler than you might think: You need to declutter your home and your life.
When your mind is cluttered, it’s hard to find the motivation to care for your home, and yet, how could you possibly expect yourself to have a settled mind when your house is in chaos?
IT’S ALL CONNECTED
For nearly 20 years, I have dedicated myself to empowering women to live their most authentic and joyful lives. As a therapist and life coach, I have the privilege of walking beside each woman I work with on her journey, and I learn as much from her as she does from me.
I see the overwhelm women face day today. It’s very real and has to be addressed. That’s why I created Soulful Space, a life coaching system that integrates your mind, body, soul, and space to create the life you deserve.
I’ll share my secret with you: mind, body, and soul, which are what most wellness systems focus on, are a great start, but the missing ingredient is the space we live and love in.
Whether we like it or not, women still tend to do the majority of the care and keeping of our homes. When we were told we could “have it all,” no one explained that we’d also have to keep doing everything we were already doing!
That’s where the overwhelm comes in.
A connection has been found between clutter and unhealthy coping and avoidance strategies, like eating junk food, oversleeping, or binge-watching Netflix.
That’s why I teach women the difference between what is selfish and what is self-care.
WHERE IT ALL STARTED
The Soulful Space method wasn’t born in one day. It was really born out of my own experiences as a woman with a cluttered life and home.
The clutter I used to live with led to a morning in the summer of 2017 when I woke up and couldn’t stop crying. The tears wouldn’t stop, and I was terrified. Had I broken myself?
No, I had overcooked myself. That was my warning bell.I spent the next two years working on myself, my boundaries, and self-care, getting one step closer to who I wanted to be with each new challenge. I was really settling into this new me.
Then, in February 2019, I found myself sitting at dinner with my husband, glaring at our kitchen with disgust.
“What is wrong with you?” asked my very supportive, if sometimes confused, hubby.
“I can’t stand this chaos anymore!” I spat out.
Wise man that he is, he did not comment further.
A study out of Princeton University’s Neuroscience Institute found people were more productive, less irritable, and distracted in a clutter-free space.
I had done all that work on myself, and I still wasn’t happy! So, the Great Decluttering of 2019 began.
Over the next three months, I touched about 90% of our stuff and decluttered about 35% of it out of the house.
80% of the things people keep when they “declutter” are never used.
With each decluttered and file-folded clothes drawer, I felt lighter. With each torn apart, decluttered, and organized closet, I felt greater control over myself and my life.
At the end of those three months, I stepped back from my new morning routine of dishes and tidying and smiled. I now loved my kitchen. That was when it hit me:
Caring for your home is self-care.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
You are perfect just as you are.
You can have the life you want.
You can have the home you want.
And you’re going to have to work for it.
I didn’t go from slob to decluttering and organizing expert overnight. I had to stop lying to myself about how “fine” I was so that I could actually be fine. I worked at it, and so will you.
Clutter addicts use clutter to keep the world at a distance because they fear reality.
I empower and teach women just like you the value of decluttering your mind, body, and soul while helping develop effective systems in your home or space, taking the chaos out of everyday life.
This integrative method reaches in and dissolves my clients’ barriers, helping them find their truth, creating the home and life they have always wanted.
It is time to allow yourself the gift of mental, physical, spiritual, and environmental health. It’s time to simplify this life of yours!
NEXT STEPS
Identify your goals. Figure out what is getting in the way.
Create realistic, achievable solutions.
Feel in control of your life.
Feel pride in yourself.
All of that can feel like a tall order, but don’t worry! That’s why I’m here.
Every day I help overwhelmed women just like you declutter their lives and homes to create the joyful lives they deserve. With your hope and my skills in decluttering and organization, and health and wellness, we’ll do the same for you.
So, I ask, are you ready for your joyful life?
