My 2021 Decluttering Challenge for Better Health
It’s the first day of 2021 and the trend of minimalism and decluttering is still going strong. Ten years ago the concept was new and fresh. Now, there are documentaries on Netflix and YouTubers galore teaching you the positive effects of letting go of all your stuff.
During the chaotic 2020 year many Americans sat at home between the months of March (and until recently) online shopped until they dropped. A coping mechanism, many people acquired things they didn’t need (and wasted money) due emotions running high as life as we knew it outside the digital landscape was put on hold.
In my personal library there is one book I’ve decided to add once again to my shelf. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. Since my introduction to Marie in 2011, the Japanese sweet heart has taken the world by storm and now has her own Netflix Special. In 2011 the book really did change my life for the better and it became a classic. In 2021 I’ve decided to read the book once more from a modern perspective.
Because of COVID and the domino collapse of stressful events many people struggled with the decline of mental and physical health. Preventive healthcare skyrocketed as sanitizers became permanent key chain accessories and our social life plummeted. After the temporary loss of my business and income, a decline of access to self care, my own health deteriorated in every aspect.
But within the catastrophe I received more love and support from my clients, my friends and my church that left me humbled and astonished.
I’m certain that many of you are exploring different ways to entwine healthier habits with a more determined approach in 2021 than ever before. It’s no longer about following trends, it’s about breaking through and emerging healthier than before.
I am certain that the state of our surroundings affects our mental health. Our homes have also become our space for work, child care, exercise and backdrops to virtual calls with our doctors, mental health therapists and personal trainers.
2021 home decor isn’t about impressing anyone it’s about being grateful, wise and moving forward in this new digital enhanced area. I’m not going to focus on what people think but more about how I feel in my space and I hope you do too.
This month of January I’ll begin a challenge for 30 days of applying the techniques presented in the book and answer some questions:
- Do these methods still apply in 2021 and how?
- Will decluttering help us become healthier?
- What techniques do I still use today from the KonMarie method that I learned 10 years ago?
Does decluttering really improve mental and physical health and how?
This 30 day challenge is the start of personal awareness that I hope will inspire you for years to come.
Don’t focus on what’s popular, instead center your mind on applying how decluttering can help you as a person and others around you. With the rise of accessibility in mental health more than ever, we are analyzing the need of “the hustle” and more about how our living (and work) spaces help us heal today.
I look forward to sharing my journey with you.
Day 1- January 1, 2020
Introduction pages 1-7 (The Why)
Tasks:
- list my values
- pick one day to do a major overhaul
Day 1
Current decluttering method
My style is to declutter a little bit at a time. It’s the approach I’m most comfortable with but the book advises to do it in “one-go” Ugh. This is already a challenge. Now I need to reach out and ask for help. Let’s see who I can gather to get it all done in one day and still comply with COVID precautions.
Stay tuned for more updates or feel free to join the journey on Instagram @luminamassage
